Need to Die
by Primus1243
Summary: DISCONTINUED Jack fell hard. He didn't know how and what happened to let this happen. But now...he's going to see what fun he can have. Despite being called a child, he's going to use all the knowledge he has learned for twenty years of his human life to make things crazy for everyone around him.
1. Into the Fray

Jack yawns as he turns over still trying to sleep. "Another boring college day. Whoopee." He mumbled halfheartedly.

He slowly sits up and yawns before stopping with his eyes still closed. "Wait. My bed is never this soft. Not even on that memory foam." He said to himself before opening his eyes and saw he was sitting in a forest clearing while the light slowly faded in. "Okay. Is this some big prank guys?!" He yelled as he sits up before falling straight onto his back as he felt his balance lost. "Owie." He groans and rubs his back and rolls over and slowly sits up before stopping and looking at his hand…paw. "Wha…?"

He starts to look to himself and he sees his hand was gone and now a blue paw was there with a silver colored rounded bump on top of his wrist and moving at his thoughts as he followed his arm and saw blue fur and keeps looking all over himself and stops as he felt something moving behind him and looks behind him to see a long bladed tail that seems to follow his thoughts as well and looks back to himself and keeps looking over his chest and sees that black fur covered part of it as it came at a jaw bite shape at his waist as his legs seemed to be all black fur and ending at paws as well.

"The heck…?!" Jack yells and stops as a something heavy looking, but felt light dangled on the side of his view and he reached up with his free paw and felt it connected to the side of his head and reaches around to his face and feels a rounded snout. "Oh crap. Okay…assessment time." Jack said trying to calm himself.

Jack gulps and sits down now and keeps looking at himself. "I can't be a…Riolu? No. It can't be. That's just a game and cartoon…is it?" He asks himself as his thoughts of the multiverse came to mind. "Okay. Calm down Jack. You are a riolu now. What do you do when it feels like you got pulled from something, changed, and dropped into something else?" He asks himself as he holds his paws to his head before perking up. "Surroundings. I had to come with something." He said before trying to sit up…and falls flat on his face.

"Ow. Okay, crawling for now. Need to find stuff on the ground." He said to himself as picks himself up on his paws and legs before crawling around and bumps his snout on something hard. "Wha…hey! My IPhone! Whoo hoo!" He cheers as he jumps up in excitement and falls onto his back again. "Ow. This is getting old." He groans out as rolls over and grabs his phone and tries to turn it on and sees that the screen lit up. "Alright. I doubt the fingerprint would work. Luckily, I know my passcode." He said to himself as he laid on his stomach as he types in the code and it comes to the home screen. "Alright. It's all still there. Better save power for now." He said turning it off completely and looks to see a cord running from the bottom and follows it to his headphones that came with it. "Alright. I can enjoy my music at least…and not the crappy ones that the show had." He grumbled as he wrapped the cords and puts it down on the ground for now. "Okay, second assessment. Food, water, shelter. Pokémon love berries. There should be some." Jack said to himself as he sits up a bit and looks around.

He then sniffs something and keeps sniffing around before looking up. "Ah cool. Is that…?" He asks himself as he tries to the remember the blue round berries. "Whatever. Time to eat." He said running over on all fours haphazardly and trips a few times before stopping at the tree and looks up. "Oh right. I'm a riolu. Let's see."

"Need some help young one?" A female voice asks and Jack looks around and then looks up to see an owl pokemon on a branch. "You put on a good show like a newborn chick. Very funny." She said smiling.

"Can I help you?" Jack asks.

"No, but you might need help if the boss of the forest catches you stealing from his tree." The pokemon says.

Jack blinks. "I see. Then I guess I have to leave then and never come back?"

The pokemon nods. "Yes. But…since you seem like you are lost and new here, I'll give you some for the road." She said before using her wing and slices off two berries. "Here. Take these and get out of here with your human contraption that you probably stole."

"What was that about a human?" A big bear pokemon asks walking up.

Jack eeps. "Ursaring." He squeaked quietly.

"That little guy has a human device. He most likely stole it, but you know what that means." The owl says.

"Yeah, must be some nearby." Ursaring says.

Jack gulps as he tried to think of something fast. "Yeah…there's a camp about thataways." He said calmly as he points towards a random direction.

The ursaring growls quietly as he looks to the pup. "I'll go see about this camp. You deal with the pup." He said walking away towards Jack's pointed direction.

Jack gulps again as he watches him leave before sighing in relief as he went into the forest again. "As if human world bears weren't bad enough." He grumbled before a large leaf was dropped in front of him.

"I would get out of here now. Grab those berries and device and go. He really doesn't like liars." The owl said before taking off and into the direction of the ursaring.

Jack eeps again before taking the leaf and two berries before putting his phone into it and lifts it up before wrapping it around his neck and making a makeshift backpack. "Time to go." He said quickly before running on all fours as he still couldn't run on two like the show showed they could.

As he tried to move fast, he heard the owl pokemon start cracking up at his display.

Jack frowns as he heard the laughing, but didn't say anything as he sees the tree line and comes out into a field with a few dirt trail running through it. As he ran, he heard a roar from the Ursaring before a howl from what he assumed was a huge dog.

Jack yips like a frightened dog, as he was a dog type, and kept running toward the trails and notices a sign and stops in front of it. "Please don't be Mystery Dungeon." He pleaded and looks to see that he was near Jubilife City. "Thank goodness." He said in relief.

"Oh hey, a new pokemon." A preteen voice says.

Jack's eyes widen. "Wait…I'm not captured. Oh no!" He yelled to himself as he turns around to see a young girl with only one pokeball in her hand as she held a Pokedex. "Oh man!" He yelled and she heard, "Ri! Ri!"

"Oh man, this is super rare. Let's get him Poliwag!" The girl calls before throwing her pokeball.

Jack blinks as he stood still as the pokeball opened and a Poliwag materialized in front of him. "Poli!" It yelled as Jack still stared before snickering before laughing and pointing.

"You have to…you have to be kidding! This weakling? I wouldn't even choose these guys if I was a trainer!" Jack laughs.

"What did you say motherfucker?!" The poliwag yells.

Jack stops and looks up at it. "Wow. Didn't know pokemon curse. Then again, it was catered to kids." He said to himself.

"Poliwag, water gun!" The trainer yells.

"Poli…" The poliwag puffs as it blows itself up a bit and Jack blinks.

"Oh crap. Hey now!" He yells as he moves his waist and dodges the water gun as it hits the sign post. "Watch where you firing that thing!"

"Oh it will be a pleasure wailing on you." Poliwag says before firing again.

Jack yips and moves himself to the side before dropping his leaf backpack and tried to move around as it kept firing water guns. "Come on now! I didn't mean it like that!" He tried to reason.

"You called me weak!" The poliwag yells before firing again.

Jack then frowns as he kept hopping around. "Hang on. Why isn't that trainer telling him to do more? Shouldn't this little guy know more…" Jack grins. "Hey asshole! How do you feel about knowing only one move?!" He yells as he keeps hoping and moving closer.

"Why you…!" The poliwag yells before firing again and Jack ducks as he chuckles and slides closer before getting up close as he dodges to the side from another water gun. "Hi." Jack said as the poliwag went wide eye before Jack punches under him and sends him up a bit into the air before reeling his paw back and hits him straight into the spiral on his stomach and then slams his other paw onto his head and sends him to the ground. "How do you like that weakling?" Jack asks smirking.

"Damn…it." Poliwag says before fainting.

"Poli no!" The trainer calls running up and Jack, taking that as his cue to go for the woods as he grabs his leaf bag and heads towards the city.

* * *

"And that is how we will take over the city." A grimer says to three other grimers.

"P U!" Jack yells as he holds his nose. "What smells like dead…rattata and died?" Jack asks no one in particular as he walks down the side of the alley.

"Hey! Get out of here! This is our turf." A grimer calls.

Jack shrugs as he kept walking past them. "Passing through. Hate trainers officially now."

"Yeah, death to the humans!" The grimers start chanting.

Jack rolls his eyes as he starts to walk along the alleyway close to the streets. "Stupid slimes. I don't see why people would make them that close to sex objects if they stink like that."

He kept walking along before stopping at the alley exit and sees a park like area filled with some battle areas that were filled and people around the area watching and with their pokemon. "Maybe I can fit in." He said to himself as he looks to his legs and tries to stand as normal as possible before walking out slowly as the view was kept on the battles.

"Okay. This is working out. I can do this. Be a pokemon. Live a life…maybe evolve." Jack said to himself as he thinks about how he would be as a Lucario.

Jack hums softly as he bobs his head before blinking and looking to his leaf bag. "Haven't eaten yet." He said to himself as he looks around before walking to a far wall and sits down against the wall before taking out the blue berry. "If only I remember." He said before biting into it and stops. "This is…wow." He said smiling and starts to bite into it happily as he licks his lips. "No, bad riolu." He said slapping his other paw reaching for the last berry.

"Huh. You don't see that every day do you Snea?" Michael asks scratching a sneasel on his shoulder under the chin.

"Snee." Snea purred as she kept moving her chin more.

Jack keeps licking his lips before looking around a bit for anyone watching and reaches into his bag again and takes out his phone. "Wonder if the songs are still good?" He asks himself as he turns it on and tries to place the earbuds into his dog ears now.

"Now that is unusual." Snea says as Michael nods to whatever she said.

Jack chuckles as he kept bobbing his head along before stopping as he felt a gaze on him. "Wha…?" He asks himself as he looks to the crowd still focusing on the battles. "Who the heck is…?" He stops as he sees a male trainer and a sneasel watching him. "Oh crap." He said quickly packing up and runs out along the wall.

"Sneasel." Michael says and Sneasel smirks before taking off after him.

Jack yips as he runs off while holding onto his leaf bag and looks behind him to see the sneasel after him. "Ah! Leave me alone!" He yells as he looks around.

"Oh, what's wrong. Lose your trainer?" The sneasel asks landing in front of him.

Jack skids to a stop as he looks terrified a bit. "Um…hey! Look at that!" He yells pointing to the right before running to the left without waiting.

"That is the oldest trick in the book." The sneasel says catching his foot midair, stopping him in his tracks.

Jack yips as he fell and his berry and phone fell out. "Ah! Let me you bitch!" He yells as he tries to kick her away with his free foot.

"Do I have to discipline?" Sneasel asks holding him up by his foot.

Jack yips and close his eyes before covering his face with his paws. "Ah! Don't spank me…don't spank me." He said a bit more calmly after trying to think on it.

"Ok Snea, that's enough." Michael says before the Sneasel gives him Jack and he starts looking him over examining him.

Jack gulps as he stayed limp and looking for an opening. "Um…hi?"

"No collar and no sign of grooming…judging by the size and muscles, you are a baby, huh?" Michael asks.

"Who you calling a baby you kiddy?!" Jack yells as she shakes himself in his grip.

"You got spirit. I like that. You get separated from your mother or caretaker?" Michael asks.

Jack frowns and crosses his arms. "How about you go and fuck yourself?!" He yells pointing to him. "And maybe let me down. I'm getting dizzy." He said more calmly as he starts to move his head around.

Michael smiles before setting Jack on his feet and gives him his stuff off the ground.

Jack shakes his head as he tries to get his bearings back. "You know, you're the first person to not attack me. Since the first one was a mafia boss in a forest and the next one was a first time weak trainer." He said trying to walk around.

"What was that about a mafia boss?" Sneasel asks raising an eyebrow.

"Shut up bitch." Jack cursed as he leans on the wall and tries to walk along it as he holds his bag.

"Move it runt." A heavy set teenager says kicking Jack out of the way.

Jack grunts as he lands onto the ground and his bag spilled his berry and phone onto the ground. "Who you calling runt tubby?!" He yells and glares at the teenager as he shakes a paw at him.

The teen glares before kicking Jack again and just to be cruel, stomps on his berry.

Jack growls as he glares up to him and bears his teeth at him. "Why you…!"

"Hey!" A female voice yells and makes Jack stop growling and turn to see a vermilion headed teenager glaring at the fat guy.

Jack blinks and looks between the two. "Huh. I'm actually more afraid of her than him."

"That was uncalled for fatso." Michael says unhappy.

Jack blinks as he was able to stand up and look between them all. "You bitch. Explain." He said pointing to the Sneasel.

"Oh, looks like we are going to battle before we leave after all." Sneasel says smirking.

Jack blinks and tilts his head. "Really? I thought they were going old fashioned fisticuffs." He said giving a few air punches.

"What did you say?" The fat one asks.

"You heard me." Michael says not intimidated like some local kids were.

Jack holds up a paw to speak before stopping and slowly walks backward before slowly picking up his phone and leaf bag before walking away slowly. "Okay. Lucky break." Jack says before the female picks him up.

"You ok?" She asks checking him over.

Jack frowns and looks back at her as he looks at his back. "Hey, if you're going to stare there, you might want to look at the interspecies laws first."

"Why you…Croagunk! Teach him a lesson!" The fat male calls throwing a pokeball.

Jack looks to the Croagunk and blinks as it starts to croak. "Wow. Just as simple as the show. Wonder if he poison jabs the kid in the ass?"

"Oh, you want a battle huh? You mind if I take this? I can't stand self-important asses who like to bully baby pokemon." Michael says to the female.

"I'm not a baby!" Jack yells shaking himself in the female's grip.

The female frowns as she kept a grip on Jack. "Go ahead. I want to see you kick his ass and show him what prison would do."

"Well I don't have a poison type with me right now. So let's go with fire." Michael says seeing everyone making room and grabs a pokeball from his belt. "Here is something exotic for this region. Pyroar, time to battle." Michael says throwing the pokeball.

The fat kid blinks and looks over the cat like pokemon as it is mostly dark brown with light brown legs, tail tip, chest, and face. a long, gold and red mane extending from its forehead to the whole length of its body. "Huh. Easy. Croagunk. Poison jab!" He calls.

"Called it!" Jack cheers as his imagines the scene from the show on the fat kid.

"Pyroar, heat it up a bit will you?" Michael asks before the pokemon roared and the heat radiating from it skyrocketed.

Croagunk croaks out loud and tries to jab at it before stops from the intense heat and croaks in pain.

"Pyroar, flamethrower." Michael casually orders before Pyroar unleashes a torrent of fire from her mouth at the croagunk.

"Gunk!" Croagunk yells as he was covered in the flames and tries to cover himself up.

"Croagunk! Feint attack!" The fat kid yells as Jack raises an eyebrow at that and watches as the Croagunk shakes the flames off and quickly moves behind Pyroar and kicks her in her hindleg before moving to her side and jabs his hand into her side and pushes her a bit away.

"Pyroar, how do we respond to that?" Michael asks. Pyroar, hearing that, roars angrily before opening her mouth and creates an orange ball before releasing it in a wind of flames at the croagunk, overwhelming it.

"Croagunk!" The fat kid yells seeing him engulfed in flames before it settled to show croagunk pass out on the ground.

"That's enough Pyroar." Michael calls walks over to Pyroar then runs a hand through her mane, making her purr.

"Whipped!" Jack calls.

"Someone is enjoying being held." Sneasel says in a sing song voice.

Jack frowns and crosses his arms. "Shut up bitch."

"Sure language from a baby." A very mature female voice says.

Jack blinks and looks around before laying his eyes on the Pyroar eyeing him. "I'm not a baby! How many times do I have to say it?!" He yells as the fat kid runs off after bringing croagunk back to him.

"But you are. Just look at you." Sneasel says snickering.

Jack growls and huffs as he turns his head away.

"What do we have here?" The female asks picking up the tied up phone as she still held onto Jack.

"Hey! Give that back!" Jack yelled reaching for it.

"I think he wants it back." Michael says.

The female looks between Jack and the phone. "A pokemon with this?" She asks as Jack strains to grab his phone.

Michael shrugs as the female holds the phone closer and Jack snatches it and hugs it close. "Who are you anyway?"

"Oh, I am Zoey." The female greets.

"Zoey huh…oh now I remember. You are this region's contest champion right?" Michael asks.

Zoey smiles. "Yeah. Nice to meet a fan…you are a fan right?" She asks raising an eyebrow.

"I…I'm not sure I count. I have watched your region's contests before I came here from Kalos." Michael said a bit nervously.

Jack blinks. "Kalos? Isn't that what I have been reading of the new games…or was that strange region the fanfic guys came up with?"

"Kalos huh? That is far away. No wonder I have never heard of a pokemon like this before." Zoey says looking over Pyroar.

"Ah. It's nice to be appreciated." Pyroar said smiling.

Michael was about to say something when Jack's stomach rumbles.

Jack looks down to his stomach before looking to the smashed berry on the ground. "Aw man. That was my last one." He said slouching before looking to Zoey. "Put me down."

"Seems he is hungry." Michael says.

"Oh what a fucking surprise. What's the first clue? Me licking my lips or my stomach screaming for food?" Jack grumbled.

"Should we get this little guy something?" Zoey asks.

"After you." Michael offers.

Jack groans as he was carried along. "I'm not a baby." He kept grumbling.

Not ten minutes later, Jack had a plate full of berries in front of him. "Eat up. A growing pokemon needs its strength." Nurse Joy says.

Jack raises an eyebrow at her and sighs. "The only woman I can't curse out." He said before grabbing a berry and biting into it. "Not bad." He said before going back to his old habits and takes out his phone and starts to look through it to see if anything was still working as he kept eating. "Wonder if the Wi-Fi works?" He asks with his mouth full.

Nurse Joy blinks confused as the little riolu was actually using a human device with ease. 'Well isn't that strange?' She thinks to herself before walking away.

Jack hums as he goes to the settings and tries to set himself up. "Wa…oh man." He said seeing that it failed to connect. "You have to be kidding."

"So what are you planning? Going to compete in the contests again this year?" Michael asks.

Zoey nods. "Might as well. It's not bad trying to compete over and over again. Besides, I have to hold my title."

"I see. I wonder how your region's gym leaders are?" Michael asks out loud.

Zoey shrugs. "You can try. Who know, you might get into the league."

"So you traveling alone?" Michael asks.

Zoey smiles. "Well that depends, do you mean with Pokemon or without?"

"I brought mostly a new team to train here so yes, but I mean with any other humans." Michael specified.

Zoey shakes her head. "Not really. It's mostly on and off around here."

"Would you consider it?" Michael asks feeding Pyroar some meat.

Zoey smirks. "You mean me and you traveling around together?"

"Well it wouldn't hurt…also, what do with that little guy?" Michael asks.

Zoey looks over to the riolu glaring at his device. "Don't know. Maybe keep him for now and see where it goes?"

"What do you think Pyroar?" Michael asks.

Pyroar grows playfully as she looks to Jack and smirks.

"Will you watch out for him?" Michael asks petting her.

Pyroar nods as she thinks of ways to teach Jack.

"So what do you think?" Michael asks Zoey.

Zoey smiles. "Sure. Could be fun."

"Alright. I guess I should bring out all my pokemon to feed and introduce you." Michael says before tossing up four pokeballs.

Zoey smiles as she watches the four being released and a charmander, jolteon, archen, and a ralts cry out and stretch as they were released. "Wow. Not bad a team and an archen? How did you get that little guy?"

"Well…let's say I did a pokemon lab researching the cloning of ancient pokemon back into existence and leave it at that please." Michael requests.

Zoey holds up a hand. "Okay. I'll stop. So what are you doing here anyway?"

"Truth be told…looking for a new challenge." Michael says as ralts sat on the table facing him and he gives her an oran berry.

Zoey raises an eyebrow as the ralts bites into the large berry. "Usually you can just challenge the league and be done there."

"Well yes, but I wanted a new challenge as I competed in my region's league four times now and to get registered, it got a little repetitive." Michael says.

Zoey blinks and chuckles amused. "Wow. Four times? Did you ever place in first?"

"I got in the top eight the last three times, but sad to say, the battles the last time was repetitive and me and my team lost interested. So I am hoping a new region will get me excited about competing again." Michael says.

Zoey hums. "You know, being champion, it's always too good to be true. How much do you like attention?" She asks scratching the jolteon under her chin.

"That's a good question." Michael says as charmander walked up to Jack.

Jack blinks and looks to the little flame pokemon coming up to him. "At least you are popular enough that I know about you." He muttered as he looks over his phone to think about the long run.

"So you are a baby too huh?" Charmander asks.

Jack groans. "I keep telling that I am not a baby. I'm twenty." He harshly said.

"Twenty days huh?" Pyroar asks before lifting him up by the scruff of his neck and puts him into her paws before she starts licking him.

Jack eeps and tries to wiggle away. "Years! And cut that out!"

"Cleaning him huh?" Sneasel asks watching.

Jack tries to push Pyroar's head away. "Cut that out! I don't need a bath!"

"She won't stop. Best to like the den mother do her thing." Ralts says shyly.

"Fuck that!" Jack yells trying to still get away.

Pyroar didn't let up in fact she seemed to tighten her grip on the struggling Jack.

"He seems cranky. Should he be put to bed?" Sneasel teases and smirks.

"I am considering it." Pyroar says continuing to clean him.

Jack growls. "Would you cut it out now!"

"How is cleaning him going?" Sneasel asks.

Pyroar chuckles. "All done." She said putting him down and he immediately gags and starts wiping himself down with some napkins nearby.

"So what do you think about your new son so far?" Sneasel asks.

"I have so much to teach him." Pyroar said holding a paw to her chin.

"So tell me, how is he compared to a fighting type right now?" Sneasel asks.

Pyroar hums. "Seems he still needs to grow into it, but he does have some potential."

"Well thanks for the vote of confidence mom." Jack calls out as he grabs a berry and starts looking around the place.

"So what pokemon do you currently have?" Michael asks.

Zoey smiles and takes out her pokeballs. "Why don't I let them out? Time for them to eat and rest anyway." She said throwing up all six of her pokeballs and out came glameow, mismagius, gastrodon, lumineon, gallade, and leafeon. "Hey guys. Meet our new friends."

"Still got the winning team huh?" Michael asks as Leafeon looks to Jolteon and Pyroar.

Zoey chuckles. "They are my close friends. It's only right that I let them stick with me through thick and thin."

"Sounds good." Michael says as Jolteon looks at Leafeon curiously.

Jack hums as he kept looking around. "Knife, wires, plug. I can do this. Seen dad do it a lot." He said to himself as he looks closely to a plug. "Japan influence indeed."

"Take a look at our Eeveelutions." Michael says noticing it as Jolteon boops Leafeon's nose with a paw.

Leafeon chuckles and boops her back the same way. "Aw, that's cute. Looks like I'm staying with you." Zoey said smiling.

"Thanks. I was worried I would get lost in this region when I got off the plane." Michael says.

Zoey laughs. "You're lucky you're with me now. I have been around this region at least two times so I'm going to be your guide."

"Thank you again." Michael says as Lumineon was put into a small pool of water.

Zoey waves him off. "It's fine. Can't leave a little lost goldeen out of water."

"I think Magikarp would be more accurate." Michael jokes.

Zoey chuckles. "At least you are finding your way to water. Goldeen works."

"So tell me Zoey, I'm not coming off like an ass just trying to ride your coattails to fame right?" Michael asks.

Zoey smirks and raises an eyebrow. "Well you haven't been asking much about it. Mostly about the region and how to get around. You're a nice enough guy."

"Thanks…you have had experience with those types right?" Michael asks.

Zoey nods. "Tons. Mostly at the contest arenas."

"And the times you have been asked out?" Michael jokes.

Zoey chuckles and grins. "Same amount. Some by girls. Almost a third really."

"Why do you think they that you're a les?" Michael asks causing her to chuckle nervously.

Zoey shrugs. "Hey, you won't know until you try."

"Ral." Ralts says pulling Michael's sleeve.

"What's wrong? You want another one?" Michael asks as Zoey notices the Ralts was blue where it should be green.

"Shiny huh?" Zoey asks.

"Oh yeah. Lulu here is the child of one of my original team. I was a little surprised when she hatched." Michael says giving her another oran berry and pets her head.

Zoey tilts her head. "Lulu huh?"

"Yeah, I thought it suited her." Michael says as she nibbles on the oran berry.

Zoey chuckles. "How old is she?"

"Two months and four days." Michael says as Charmander was testing the water with her clawed foot.

"Don't dip yourself too much. That fire tail is your life." Jack said passing by with ripped out wire and plug on one end that he was looking over.

"You mind splashing Mr. know it all for me?" Charmander asks Lumineon.

Lumineon smirks and flaps his fin and splashes Jack who recoiled. "Hey! Watch the wire!" Jack yelled as he hurried to dry it off. "Try to care and you get splashed in the face. Feels like I'm at a bar."

"Momma Pyroar, I think he needs to be cleaned again." Charmander calls.

Jack yips and runs off. "No way jose!"

"Do you mind helping with your psychic attack?" Pyroar asks Mismagius.

"Mis." She said before her eyes light up and Jack couldn't move.

"Hey! What's going on?!" Jack yelled trying to move.

"Just set him in my forepaws." Pyroar says laying down again.

"No! Not a tongue bath! I don't want a tongue bath!" Jack yells as he kept trying to move.

"Looks like the little one is getting a second one." Michael says chuckling.

Zoey laughs as Jack was dropped into Pyroar's paws and she started to lick him as Jack kept trying to get away. "Just like a kid."

"So what were your plans, head out today or later in the week?" Michael asks.

Zoey hums. "Well what were you planning? Was it passing through or see something?"

"Actually…" Michael blushes as he pulls out a few maps of the region.

Zoey raises an eyebrow. "Lost?"

"Buying maps." Michael says.

Zoey chuckles. "Okay. How about this? What do you want to see in this region first?"

"I hear that east from here is Oreburgh City. That interests me as there is a gym there and they dig for pokemon fossils and clone them there." Michael says.

Zoey smiles. "Alright. Next stop is Oreburgh City."

"So obvious!" Jack calls as he quit trying to get out and just ended up crossing his arms and tries to endure the tongue bath.

Pyroar, seeing this, snuggles him.

Jack rolls his eyes as he looks to wire. "Knife, plug, sheathing." He mutters to himself.

"So when do we leave?" Michael asks.

Zoey sighs. "Well when can you be ready?"

"I'll let you choose." Michael says as their pokemon continue to interact.

Zoey smiles. "Well since it's getting close to sundown, we can head out tomorrow. I'll get us some rooms. Play nice guys." She said getting up and going to the front desk.

"You want to go interact?" Michael asks Lulu.

Lulu nods and takes the last bite of her oran berry. "Ral."

"Go make new friends." Michael says picking her up and sets her down on the floor.

Lulu smiles and walks off as she heads toward Jack who was pouting. "I'm not a baby." He kept muttering.

"He is cute one isn't he Lulu?" Sneasel asks.

Lulu nods as he kept muttering. "Cute." She said tilting her head.

"He's a punk." Charmander says.

"Oh, you're still mad he told you not to do that, aren't you Eruption?" Sneasel asks.

Eruption nods as she frowns.

Sneasel chuckles watching all of this as Pyroar lays her head on Jack's.

Jack growls under his breath as he scrunches up his snout. "Let go of me."

"I'm not done little cub." Pyroar says.

"I'm not a baby!" Jack yells.


	2. Time Out

Jack opens his eyes as he sits up and looks around the dark room as everyone rested where they were as he got up and out of the bed, careful not to wake Pyroar and heads to Michael's backpack. "Come on. Every trainer has one." He said quietly as he feels around and grabs onto the army knife. "Yes." He said smiling and moves to the desk as he grabs the wire he left here. "Okay. Let's see." He said trying to pull out the knife and frowns. "Come on."

"Need help?" He hears and looks to see Lulu standing on the ground near him smiling. "Pokemon don't use these." She said looking over what he had.

"He causing trouble Lulu?" Sneasel asks walking up.

Lulu shrugs. "Depends what he needs the knife and wire for."

"Take it away from him before he hurts himself. We are heading out in the morning." Sneasel says.

Jack quickly hugs the wire and knife to himself. "Mine."

"Look, either go to sleep or Pyroar will wake up." Lulu says.

Jack growls. "Let me do what I want."

Lulu says nothing and walks to Pyroar.

Jack goes wide eyed. "Wait."

"Put it back and go to sleep or I wake her as you are making me unable to sleep." Lulu says.

Jack blinks. "What?"

"You woke me up and I like to sleep now do what I say or Pyroar gets up." Lulu threatens.

Jack groans. "Fine." He said throwing the knife away and trudges back to the bed and lays down. "I hate you all though."

Lulu, seeing that, heads back to where Sneasel was sleeping and climbs back up there and starts going back to sleep.

Jack rolls his eyes before closing them. "Why did I end up in this world?" He asks himself.

* * *

Jack trails behind the two trainers as they walk along the route. "This is so stupid." He muttered.

"You think one of us should carry him?" Michael asks Zoey looking back.

Zoey hums. "I don't think so. He doesn't look like he's in the mood."

"What should we do with him?" Michael voices the question that had made Zoey think all morning.

Zoey sighs. "Really…I don't know. He could be a mother's kid and he got lost, but still…"

"Looks like someone wants to fight." Michael says as a kricketot seemed mad for some reason.

Zoey blinks and looks to the kricketot in front of them. "Huh. Okay then." She said taking out her pokeball.

"Can we just move on?!" Jack calls as he kept walking past them.

"Seems the little guy wants to fight Kricketot." Michael says.

"Wait what?" Jack asks and sees the bug in front of him. "Isn't this like the jigglypuffs? He's kinda poofy."

Hearing this, the Kricketot used growl and Jack felt weaker somehow.

Jack blinks and wobbles a bit. "Growling?" He asks himself. "How did that go? Oh yeah, attack goes down…what a lame move." Jack grumbles as he tries to walk close.

Soon Kricketot's teeth glowed and it launched itself at him and bit him, sending pain through him.

"Yeow!" Jack yells and starts running around with it hanging on. "Let me go you chitin bastard!" He yells hitting it on the head.

"Sneasel, please help get it off of him." Michael asks.

Sneasel sighs and rubs her head before jumping down off of Michael and heads toward the running pair. "Come on baby. Come to one of your mommies and let me help."

"Fuck you bitch!" Jack yells before flipping around and jumps and lands the bug as they went sliding and he gives a quick punch to its neck area and he jumps off of it. "What a lame bug!" He yells as he eyes it getting back up as it looked that roughed up and spoiling for another round.

"Come here you." Sneasel says dragging him to the trainers.

"Hey! Let me go bitch!" Jack yells trying to get out of her grip.

"You want to coach him or should I?" Michael asks.

Zoey chuckles. "I'll do it. Seems the little tyke just loves messing with others. Though he has some unorthodox moves."

"You mean fail?" Michael jokes.

Zoey shakes her head. "No. He used a move that isn't anywhere on the list. Heck, he just probably made something up."

"True." Michael says taking a seat to watch.

Zoey sighs as she bends down to the dragged Jack. "Okay buddy. What do you do?" She asks taking out her pokedex and scans him.

"Forget it girl!" Jack yells and shakes himself from Sneasel's grip. "Crazy bitch." He said rubbing his wrist.

"Huh…quick attack. Good. I can work with that." Zoey said standing back up.

"Wait what?" Jack asks.

Zoey sighs. "Okay, I know you're not my Pokemon but use quick attack."

Jack blinks at her confused as he looks to the bug chittering at them. "Um…"

Zoey tilts her head confused. "Huh. Maybe he hasn't learned how to use it yet."

Michael raises an eyebrow. "Well first time move users usually can't do it on the first try. Like Eruption. She kept spitting fire into her own mouth before she got it."

Zoey hums as Jack tilts his head and scratches the top of his head. "So you want me to quick attack this stupid bug and just knock him out or…can pokemon kill?" He asks himself.

"We can. We just don't go for the killing blow usually." Sneasel says.

Jack looks at her. "Oh. Thanks bitch." He said before looking back to the bug as he kept looking in every angle and tilting himself as he looked at how it stood. "Wow. I thought they all had good stance."

"Want Sneasel?" Michael asks.

"Can she use quick attack?" Zoey asks.

"Yes, but she doesn't use it as often." Michael says.

Zoey sighs. "Yeah. Might as well. I don't think our little tyke is ready."

Jack frowns hearing that as he kept looking at the bug as it almost looked like it was preparing another move. "Nope!" He yells and suddenly rushes up as he ducks and punches it a few times into the chest area before rushing back and then forward past it and heads to the tree before landing his feet onto it and kicks off before aiming straight for the bug and hits him square in the head. "Bullseye!" He cheers to himself as he skids to a stop. "Did I win?" He asks smirking to the others standing there.

"I think he got the basic move but his tail is about to be chomped." Sneasel says.

"Wait what?" Jack asks before yelping and turns to the bugger biting onto his tail. "You stupid little…!" He yells and jumps up before turning a bit and slams it into ground as he whips his tail and lands on his back. "Got to work on that." He groans as he gets up. "Guess pokemon bodies are more resilient than humans."

"You have been weakened nitwit." Sneasel says.

Jack growls. "When I said shut up, I mean shut up. Bitch." He added afterwards as he looks to the bug getting back up. "Oh come on!" He yells and bears his teeth and runs over and body slams him into the ground and bites into its little arm and pulls a bit before bringing it up and then let's go and punches it square in the face. "And stay down!" He yells pointing at it before huffing as he got off and walks back to the rest.

"Not bad for a pup." Sneasel says.

"You want to capture it?" Michael asks.

Zoey shrugs. "Not really. I would rather let the little guy go."

"Can he survive out here in that state?" Michael asks.

Zoey hums as she digs around her bags and takes out a berry. "Nah. Not like this." She said placing the berry near the fainted body. "Now this one will be fine."

"Very well." Michael says walking past.

Jack stretches as he starts to follow again. "Don't bother saying anything bitch."

"You did good." Sneasel says before climbing back up to Michael's shoulder.

Jack shakes his head. "Crazy idiots."

The group kept walking for hours more and stopping to rest and eat a few times before noticing the sun was setting.

"Time to sleep up. Good thing I have a sleeping bag. You?" Michael asks Zoey.

"Same here." Zoey says setting down her backpack.

Jack raises an eyebrow to them as he eats a berry. "Okay. I guess I'll see you tomorrow." Michael said setting up his bag as Jack walks away under some bushes.

Jack yawns as he kept walking close to the cleaning they were setting up as he pokes his weird aura things as he called it and wondered if he could do what they say. "Now how do I meditate?"

"So what are you up to?" Zoey asks seeing Michael get out some goggles.

Michael hums. "Trying out these new goggles. I sometimes like the nocturnal type but you rarely find them without help and these are supposed to." He said looking around.

"You're going to capture pokemon?" Zoey asks.

"Basically." Michael says.

Zoey hums. "So which one are you going for?"

"I heard there is Shinx and Zubat in these woods." Michael says before bringing out Lulu.

Lulu yawns as she stretches. "Ral?" She asks looking back to him.

"Hey Lulu, time to go see if we can get any training in." Michael says picking her up.

Lulu smiles. "Ral." She said happily as he carried her off.

* * *

Jack hums as stops at a large tree and sits down. "Okay. How did that kid do it again?" He asks himself before remembering a phrase. "Stupidest line ever." He grumbles before sighing and closing his eyes. "Okay. So eyes closed and try to sense the area. Come on, a full grown lucario can do this." He said to himself as his appendages on his head starts to rise and fall a little. "Come on." He said seeing almost a blue pulse that was slow and hard to see. "Almost there." He said to himself as he kept trying to focus.

Jack kept straining his eyes closed as he kept making a pulse run out that he can see for a moment before it goes away into the distance and groans as he opens his eyes again. "Damn it. How do those guys do it?" He asks as he leans his head against the tree.

"Practice kid. Practice." Sneasel said in front of him suddenly.

Jack yelps and jumps a bit. "Where did you come from bitch?!"

"In the tree above you." Sneasel says.

Jack glares at her. "So you going to take me to bed like a good mother?" He mocks.

"Not yet. Now focus again and maybe you will get a glimpse." Sneasel says.

Jack raises an eyebrow. "What do you know about aura?"

"I won't say anything." Sneasel says jumping up back into the tree.

Jack tilts his head and watches where she went before sighing and closing his eyes again. "Damn it." He said to himself as he tried to focus again and sent out another pulse. "Huh. So that's what the flames look like in real life." He said to himself as he spotted Sneasel on the branch as he kept sending out pulses. "Okay…a good start."

"Now why don't you head back to bed?" She suggested as she smirks.

"Nope. Going to see how far I can go." Jack said frowning a bit as he tried to focus a bit more.

Sneasel frowns and looks down at him. "Bed. Now tyke." She orders. "Or I can get mother Pyroar."

"Uhg! Fine." Jack grumbles and opens his eyes and looks to her. "I still hate you bitch." He said walking off back to the cleaning.

Sneasel blinks as she can't get his blue glowing eyes out of her mind. 'I thought the white areas stayed white and his pupils were red.' She thought before heading back to the cleaning as well.

* * *

"Breakfast!" Michael calls.

Jack grumbles and turns over in his sleep. "Five more hours." He said.

Lulu smirks, holding a berry over his nose with confusion.

Jack sniffs and sniffs again as he lifts his head up. "Blueberry." He said before chomping at the berry and Lulu made it float away. "Ah! Not cool!" He yells and opens his eyes to them mad.

"Come on sleepy head." Lulu says taking the berry with her.

"Says the talking mushroom." Jack calls and gets up as he goes to the rest as he grumbles incoherently.

Lulu smiles as she climbs into Zoey's lap, reminding her of her Gallade when he was a Ralts.

Zoey chuckles. "Look Gallade. She's like you." She said to the eating group.

Gallade turns to look at his trainer hearing that and sees Lulu.

"Get use to it big guy. You have been replaced." Jack said almost snickering as he walks by with a berry in paw.

"Don't eat too messy or she will give you another bath." Gallade says.

Jack frowns and reels on him. "Oh shut up you overgrown onion!"

"Don't start something if you can't back it up pup." Jolteon says before a berry sticks itself on one of her spikes.

"Hah! I knew those things were good for something." Jack said snickering.

Jolteon didn't look amused and was considering using thunderbolt.

Jack kept snickering as he laughs a little. "Man. You guys suck sometimes. I'm surprised you made it this far."

"Using thunder." Jolteon says starting to charge.

Jack snickers as he got close. "Go ahead sparky." He teases and moves quickly as he saw her sparking more before quickly moving to Gallade and lets him take the hit as he stay under his arm. "I believe that lightning rod comes to mind." He said smirking.

"Hit the dirt!" Sneasel calls as Jolteon releases it, nearly frying Jack from the shock he gets.

Jack blinks as he groans and falls onto his back. "Wow. So this is what the kid goes through." He mutters before sitting up and shaking himself of the soot. "That all you got sparky?!" He calls shaking his paw.

"Don't ask for him to give what he gives in battle." Pyroar says.

Jack huffs. "Can't believe it was weak." He said turning away and his head appendages lift a little.

"That mouth will get you killed one day." Glameow says.

Jack chuckles. "Or maybe to see what you can do. Now I know I just need a stick." He said looking back at them.

"He really wants to die, doesn't he?" Jolteon asks.

Jack chuckles as he dances a bit away. 'I wonder if I die, do I go back home?' He thinks as he gains a thinking expression. "Do I even go back? My phone was brought here so portal…permanent?" He asks himself as he kept dancing.

"Is he confused?" Michael asks.

Zoey shrugs. "Maybe. Maybe not. It would help to know his history though."

"History? He is a baby." Michael says confused.

Zoey raises an eyebrow. "I mean his birth and all that. Where he came from? Maybe we can figure out what's going on…or if he lost it all." She whispered the last one.

"From what I understand, Riolu are rare. They can be found on route 22 in Kalos, but that is all I know of where to find them." Michael says as Pyroar starts giving Jack a bath.

"Come on! Another one?!" Jack yells squirming in her grasp.

"You are filthy after that." Lulu says.

"Shut up onion head." Jack insults as he kept trying to squirm away.

"So from that we need to train him a bit, don't you think?" Michael asks.

Zoey hums as she thinks of ways. "Yeah, let me think on that."

"I s…take a look at that." Michael says spotting at a Abra.

Zoey hums. "Want to get this little guy?"

"I never had an opportunity to catch one before…unless you want to try for it." Michael offers, sounding like an excited kid at first.

Zoey chuckles. "How about you try something new instead of battling? Hold out a berry for the little one."

"It's asleep." Michael points out.

Zoey raises an eyebrow to him. "Just hold out a berry. The little guy will come."

"Be my guest." Michael says.

Zoey sighs and grabs a berry. "Fine." She said getting up and slowly going over to the sleeping Abra and waves the berry and the Abra sniffs the air before looking toward her. "It's okay." She said softly as Abras have a penchant for teleporting away at first sign of trouble.

Michael watches in silence as Zoey worked.

Zoey smiles and holds the berry out more before the Abra slowly got up and slowly walks toward her as it took pauses before its eyes light up and the berry floats from her hand to it and it grabs it before chewing on it.

Michael watches as Zoey brought out a pokeball and the abra didn't resist the capture.

Zoey smiles as she turns to him. "And that's how you do it without battling."

Michael just starts clapping at the feat as the pokeball teleported away.

Zoey sighs. "I'll exchange later. Right now, let's deal with our troublemaker."

"Be my guest." Michael says.

Zoey hums and looks to Jack pouting as he kept being cleaned off by Pyroar. "What do you think we should do?"

"I think treat him as a naughty child." Michael says thinking on it.

"Ri! Ri!" Jack yells to them.

Zoey smirks evilly. "I think you're right. Let's start with the simplest."

"A time out or spanking?" Michael asks.

Zoey grins. "Timeout or no lunch."

"Your choice." Michael says.

Zoey chuckles and leans down to Jack who glares at her. "You need to behave."

Jack growls. "Forget you."

"Pyroar, help Zoey enforce that." Michael says.

Pyroar places a paw onto Jack's head and presses down with a bit of force. "Quiet now pup."

"Someone's in trouble." Eruption says.

"Shut up." Jack calls to her and gets more pressure.

"Okay. That's it. Time for a timeout." Zoey said standing up.

Michael watches as Zoey picks up Jack and carries him away. "I'm glad you two don't act like that." Michael says looking to Lulu and Eruption.

They both shrugged at that as they watch Jack struggle to get out of Zoey's grip before he was placed on the other side of the clearing. "You stay. You come over or move, I will not let you eat lunch."

"What?!" Jack yells.

Zoey glares at him. "You heard me. Stay." She said before walking back to the rest.

'She scares me.' Jack thinks sweating, choosing to listen to her.

Michael raises an eyebrow. "Not bad. Did you ever had to deal with kids yourself?"

"I had a little brother and helped raise a few baby pokemon." Zoey says.

Michael smiles a bit at that. "Bet they were tough to deal with."

"Oh heck yeah…so what's the story with you and Sneasel? She is always out of her pokeball." Zoey points out.

"Oh, Sneasel and I go way back. She was the first pokemon I ever got." Michael says.

Zoey smiles. "And being out of the pokeball?"

"She prefers it that way." Michael says scratching her head.

Zoey chuckles. "Yeah. Some pokemon are like that. So she's been with you all these years huh?"

"Yeah, she has been with me through thick and thin." Michael says as Sneasel yawn and lays on his head.

Zoey sighs. "Same with my Pokemon. A lot of them have been through a lot with me."

"So any contests here we are headed?" Michael asks.

Zoey hums. "There is one. Why? Want to give contests a shot?"

"Maybe, but don't you need to get five contest ribbons to get to the grand festival?" Michael asks.

Zoey nods. "Yeah. Confirmation you did it all."

"I won't try it then. Will let you get started on your ribbons first." Michael says.

Zoey smiles. "Well it's a good thing I have one already. So you might as well get started on your badges."

"To tell the truth, I'm more interested in digging for pokemon fossils. I might find one and have a new ancient friend for Archen." Michael says.

Zoey chuckles. "Alright then. So no gym or league here huh?"

"I didn't say that. They are just secondary on my priorities." Michael says chuckling.

Zoey laughs. "You need to find a life soon."

"Ouch, that one stung." Michael says bashfully.

Zoey keeps laughing. "Any case, we should get moving. I'm sure the others are hankering for the next town to see."

"So will you give your new Abra a nickname?" Michael says before starting to return some of his pokemon to the pokeballs.

Zoey hums as she returns hers. "I don't know. You got any ideas?"

"None that comes to mind at the moment." Michael says as Zoey walks to get Jack.

Jack raises an eyebrow as he kept arms crossed. "What do you want?"

"Come on you. We are going." Zoey says.

Jack groans. "And no more rest." He said getting up.

"So any luck last night?" Zoey asks walking back.

"I didn't get lucky, but Lulu beat a few of what he faced yesterday." Michael says.

Jack growls as he wrings his paws together.

"Zoey?" Michael asks.

Zoey smirks and turns to Jack before smacking him atop the head with two fingers and makes him groan in pain. "Tip one." She said smirking.

"So have you ever been to Oreburgh?" Michael asks.

Zoey smiles. "Lots of times."

"So how many days should it take to get there at our pace?" Michael asks.

Zoey hums. "A few hours or so. Enough to deal with bad boy here." She said looking to Jack rubbing his head.

"I will leave it to you as I think you will do a better job." Michael says.

Zoey smiles. "Sure. Come on. If we hurry, we might make lunch." She said walking ahead.

Sneasel, hearing this, laughs as they proceeded.


	3. Reconnect

"So this is what Oreburgh looks like. I pictured it smaller." Michael says.

Jack stared at the city and raises an eyebrow. "Huh. Just as underwhelming as the show."

"You like talking crazy?" Sneasel asks.

"Shut it bitch." Jack grumbles as he crosses his arms.

"Snea sneas snea." Sneasel says to Zoey.

Zoey raises an eyebrow and looks to Jack with a frown and holds up two finger. "Oh Riolu." She sang with a frown.

Jack eeps and covers his head.

"I think he is learning." Michael says.

"More like freaked out of you assholes." Jack grumbles. "I wonder if I can just go. I'm not captured."

"You do that and some other will try and capture you." Sneasel points out.

Jack growls. "Listen bitch, I have had…" He yawns. "I had enough of…" He yawns again. "Curse this young body!" He yells before yawning wide.

"Seems like someone needs a nap." Zoey says reaching down.

Jack growls. "Back off." He growls before being interrupted by a yawn.

"Come here little guy." Zoey says picking him up.

Jack tries to growl. "You better…you better…" He tries to growl before huffing. "Forget it bitch." He said closing his eyes.

"You want to leave him napping at the pokemon center while we go and do what we came here for while you change out one of your pokemon for your new Abra?" Michael asks.

Zoey nods. "Yeah, let's let the little guy get his rest. He must have been cranky this morning."

"After a four-day trip, it is a good possibility." Michael says thinking on it.

Jack gives a little yawn as he turns away from them in Zoey's arms.

The trainers, taking that as confirmation, head for the pokemon center.

* * *

"You think a gift is good enough when he's still being punished? It's still not lunch yet." Michael asks.

"Too soon." Zoey says as she gets Abra from the transfer.

Michael hums. "You know…he is kinda weirder than most Pokemon when you think about it."

"What do you mean?" Zoey asks.

Michael holds up Jack's phone. "He had this with him and he knew how to use it."

"That is a little weird." Zoey says.

"You know what it is?" Michael asks.

Zoey shakes her head. "Never seen it. You messed around with it yet?"

"I think the battery is dead." Michael says showing it to her.

Zoey hums as she looks it over. "Huh. You try changing or charging the battery?"

"Looked it over last city back, but couldn't find anything that fit any part of it." Michael says.

Zoey sighs. "Well our next goal can be Veilstone City. It might have a store which does have the parts or maybe a person who could help with it."

"Ok…so you know when the contest will be held?" Michael asks.

Zoey smiles. "A few days. So we can spend some time here while I can go train, especially with my new friend here."

"I'm going to go mine and see if I cannot excavate some fossils." Michael says.

Zoey smiles. "Mind if I tag along? I still need to come up with an idea. Maybe fossil digging might be my theme." She jokes.

"Sure." Michael says setting Sneasel down. You watch the baby ok?" Michael asks.

Sneasel sighs. "Fine. I'll watch the kid."

"Thanks Sneasel." Michael says petting her head.

Sneasel smiles. "Go on you two lovebirds."

"So anything I should know?" Zoey asks.

"Well you will need to wear a hard hat and an outfit like the miners. That is regulations for a mine." Michael says before starting to list off safety regulations.

Sneasel smiles as she walks back to their room. "Alright. I already got ideas just from safety rules alone." She heard Zoey say.

"They will test us on this before they let us mine. We also have to sign a waiver." Michael adds.

"Please don't tell me it's with the words 'We are not liable for any damage you sustain.'?" Zoey asks.

"More like so they don't get sued or in trouble with the government." Michael says.

Zoey shrugs. "Shall we go? You can tell me on the way."

"Alright." Michael says as they leave.

"Oh little tyke?" Sneasel asks quietly she opens the door and finds the bed empty. "Where he'd go?"

* * *

Jack groans as he rubs at his face. "Great. Just great." He said to himself as he sat on the rooftop. "Okay, assessment time. Phone is probably dead. Can't use a knife that well. Wire I hid in his backpack. Maybe…stone." He said and looks to the chimney. "Perfect." He said climbing over the rooftop and stops at the brick chimney. "It'll have to do." He said before stopping and looks at his paws. "But…I don't even know a punching move." He said to himself as he looks over his paws before seeing the metal bump on the back of his wrist. "Have to do." He said getting ready to hit the chimney before hitting it hard.

"Yeow!" Jack yells as he holds his wrist. "Geez. That's so not like adamantium blades. How does he do it?" He asks himself as he shakes his wrist before looking to the shattered part and sees a few shards that was thick enough on the roof. "Alright. It wasn't a total loss." He said getting the shards and looks them over. "Oh yeah. These will do nicely."

Jack smiles happily as he slides down to where he left from the window and sees it still open before heading inside and drops the shards near the bag. "Okay. It should be…there." He said taking out the wire and sits down and grabs a shard. "Please work." He pleaded before starting to cut across the weak wire and smiles as it makes cuts in the covering. "Yes. Okay, time to work." He pulling the wire apart down the middle by the loose little wires.

* * *

"Where did that stupid runt go?" Sneasel asks herself as she checked the nearby rooms. "He couldn't have gotten far in his state." She kept thinking to herself before sighing and goes back to their room and stops at the sight of Jack about to plug in the wire and saw the other end not connected and exposed with the copper almost touching him.

"Hey!" Jack yells as he held upside down and the wire out of his reach.

"You stupid kid. You could have gotten yourself hurt." Sneasel scolded as she threw away the wire in the trash.

"No! That's my only chance!" Jack yells tries to get out of her grip.

"For what?" Sneasel asks reminding him of Zoey a bit.

Jack tries to growl. "For my phone you bitch!" He yells trying to punch her.

"It doesn't work." Sneasel says bluntly.

"That's cause the battery's dead! Don't you know a dead battery bitch?" Jack harshly asks.

Sneasel says nothing before actually slapping him.

"Ow!" Jack groans as he rubs his cheek. "What was that for?!"

Sneasel smacks him again before picking him up and drags him back.

"Crazy bitch! Let me go!" Jack yells trying to get out of her grip.

Hearing that, Sneasel have had enough and stops before putting him over her knee.

Jack blinks. "Oh crap." He said realizing the situation.

Sneasel starts spanking Jack as a punishment.

"Yeow!" Jack yells as he tried to get away. "Bitch! Cut that out!"

Sneasel kept spanking before Jack finally starts crying like the child he was. "Crazy kit."

"You bitch. You are stopping my only connection." Jack cries as he tries to hold still.

"Seems you haven't learnt your lesson yet." Sneasel says continuing to spank.

"You bitch! That's my only connection home!" Jack yells as he continues to cry.

Sneasel kept going before he finally stopped calling her names.

Jack just ended up crying as he couldn't feel anything there anymore. "I hate this world." He cries out.

"Come on you. We are going back." Sneasel says carrying him back.

Jack sniffs as he doesn't look at her. "You…you don't get me…at all." He said between sniffs.

"Oh I do. You have a bloated ego and obviously never were disciplined." Sneasel says.

Jack sniffs. "You try going through high school. It's not easy as they say."

"Come on. Dry those tears. One of your new mothers is here." Sneasel says and for some reason, Jack felt better.

Jack wipes his eyes for a moment. "Why should I? You guys don't give a damn."

"If that were true, I wouldn't have spanked you." Sneasel says.

"You hated me from the start. Why should I even try? Besides…being mad…I can figure them out." Jack mumbled as he kept wiping his face.

"Now who isn't giving anyone a chance?" Sneasel says entering the room he escaped from.

"You never did when we first met." Jack mumbled.

"Oh and who was calling names from the start like a spoiled brat?" Sneasel asks making Jack go silent.

"It was supposed to be a compliment for your kind." Jack mumbled quietly.

"You and I both know it was meant as an insult so who are you trying to convince, me or yourself?" Sneasel asks.

Jack stayed quiet for a bit. "Leave me alone."

"No." Sneasel says closing the window and watches him as he lays on the bed.

Jack curls up now. "Go away."

"No, now think about what you did wrong pup." Sneasel says sounding like she was his mother.

Jack was silent for a bit. "Dad would have said different to what I was doing."

"I don't care. You are here now and I am helping raise you." Sneasel says sternly.

Jack doesn't move. "I already have been. By my real parents."

Sneasel raises an eyebrow at that. "Well it seems they…"

"What do you know about my parents?!" Jack yells turning on her obviously mad. "You don't know crap about me. For all you know, my parents could be humans. They could be lucarios. But you don't care about that. All you care about is disciplining a child without knowing the history behind them. For pete's sake! That child could have already the knowledge of all Pokemon and still kick your ass. But you don't care crap about the child. Just your teaching!" Jack yells fuming before turning back around and curling up again.

Sneasel says nothing seeing he wasn't going to listen right now and lets him think about it.

* * *

"How are you doing Zoey?" Michael asks digging with a pickaxe.

Zoey hums as she kept picking away at her own wall. "Not bad. I might get something."

"Just don't get hurt. It is an accomplishment with your first time digging." Michael says aiming low to try and start a chain of events to break the wall of the tunnel down.

Zoey smiles. "Heck yeah. So what fossils we might find?"

"You never know…it took me five days of digging to find my Archen's fossil." Michael admits.

Zoey looks to him and stops for a moment. "Really? That hard huh?"

"If it wasn't hard, many trainers would be running around with ancient pokemon wouldn't they?" Michael asks.

Zoey thinks on that. "True. And that would make it less exciting."

"Heads up. The cart is coming." Michael says seeing two miners pushing a half full cart towards them.

Zoey sighs. "Break time to fill up." She said grabbing the broken coal on the ground she picked off.

"You go ahead; I am going to keep digging." Michael says before the miners stop near them and help them load what they had into the cart.

Zoey sighs and keeps loading it up. "So how much of this have you done during those five days?"

"I got better every day. As time goes on, you learn how to do it better and how to approach the mine. Not all mines are the same. I mined in a crystal mine." Michael says.

Zoey raises an eyebrow. "Did you take some of the crystals?"

"No, I am honest and part of the agreement for me to mine to look for pokemon fossils, but they did also pay for what I brought in like these guys do." Michael says getting back to mining as the cart moved on.

Zoey smiles. "Good. Because I would have hit you over the head with this if you were taking them for yourself." She said spinning the pickaxe in hand.

Michael choose to ignore that as he dug in deeper, starting a new branch in the tunnel.

Zoey sighs and goes back to pickaxing the wall and hits it before tilting her head the piece of the wall came apart and shown an orange piece sticking from it. "What's this?" She asks looking closer.

"What is it?" Michael asks.

Zoey looks at it from different angles. "Looks like an orange rock."

"Orange?" Michael asks stopping and turns around.

Zoey steps aside for him to see. "Yeah. See?"

"Zoey, chisel and hammer. Let's know away a bit more." Michael says pulling his out.

Zoey digs around her tool bag before working with him on digging out the piece. "What is it?"

"Hum…Zoey. Think you can blow the whistle they gave us for anything other than coal being discovered." Michael says after they reveal it a bit more.

Zoey nods and takes out the whistle from her pocket before blowing it toward the entrance and turns to him. "What do we have?"

"I think this is amber. I have seen it in books, but never in person." Michael says and soon a few miners, including the foreman who is the gym leader arrives and one of the miners whistles at the discovery.

Zoey turns to them. "So…?"

"It's amber alright. Alright boys, get a cart. We are got a potential fossil." Roark says.

Zoey smiles and looks to Michael. "You going to keep digging?"

"I want to see how they excavate a fossil to see if they do it different than what Kalos does it." Michael says as they watch them excavate the amber and sets the large fossil into an empty cart.

Zoey smiles and follows them out with Michael. "How does your region do it?"

"Well the process is closer. They are very careful, mostly only using chisel, once they find a fossil to get it in the best quality they can. It can take more than an hour unlike the less than a half that they did it in." Michael says.

"Really that long?" Zoey asks sweat dropping.

"Yeah, I'll get back to working. Let me know how it goes later." Michael says heading back in.

Zoey sighs. "Okay. See you then." She said waving at him as she kept following.

Later, Zoey was waiting in a lab while scientists were running tests on the amber when one of them walked up to her. "Ms. Zoey?" The scientist asks.

Zoey hums and looks to him. "Yes?"

"We have finished preliminary tests and there is pokemon DNA inside the amber. Would you like us to revive the pokemon now or wait till we know what pokemon it is?" The scientist asks.

Zoey tilts her head. "Um…revive it now. Surprise me."

"Very well." The scientist says and signals his fellow scientists to move it to the revive chamber. "The process will take around an hour." The scientist informs.

Zoey sighs. "So what can I do until then?"

"We have a waiting room and shower for you and for the staff and people who mine for fossils if you wish to use them." The scientist offers.

Zoey smiles. "Thanks. I'll be sure to use them." She said getting up and heading there as she looks over her dusty self in the miner overalls.

* * *

Zoey sighs in relief as she walks out in some of her regular clothes. "Geez, wonder how long it's been now?" She asks herself looking to the clock. "Almost time huh? Best go to be there when the revival chamber opens." Zoey says walking towards the area.

A scientist looks up from his work to see her walking their way. "Ah. Just in time."

"So…expecting a battle?" Zoey asks seeing some pokemon out ready to battle.

The scientist nods. "This is valuable equipment and its liable to be stolen. Also, if you were fossilized and then revived, wouldn't you be cranky?"

"I guess so." Zoey says as the chamber binged.

The scientist smiles. "Okay, everyone be ready."

The container opened up and Zoey saw a Aerodactyl that roared.

Zoey raises an eyebrow as the pokemon glares to everyone and prepare so fire before Zoey literally holds up a fruit. "They love these, right?" Zoey asks.

"And meat. Watch it or it will take your entire hand off." A scientist advises.

The Aerodactyl roars and keeps glaring to everyone before they all slowly step back as it lumbers out as it heads toward Zoey who was still holding out the fruit. "It's okay. Go on. Eat up." She encouraged.

Aerodactyl had a gleam in its eye that Zoey saw and eyes widen before quickly pulling away before it almost chomped down on her hand with the intent of eating it. "Oh, I see. We are doing this the hard way, huh? Go Leafeon!" Zoey calls before throwing her pokeball.

Aerodactyl growls and flares his wings as he prepares to fight as Leafeon cries out as he readies himself to fight.

"Leafeon, energy ball, let's go!" Zoey calls and Leafeon summoned a green energy ball and fires it at Aerodactyl.

Aerodactyl cries out and tries to move away and hits its head onto a terminal and knocks it down as the energy ball hits the wall as it charges up a steel wing and readies itself to fly towards him.

"Ah! Watch the computers!" A scientist yells.

"Restrain it so the trainer can catch it." Another calls as a Cranidos hits it with head smash from behind, really hurting and distracting Aerodactyl.

"Now Leafeon, swift!" Zoey calls and readies a pokeball.

Leafeon, hearing that, summons and launches many yellow stars that hit Aerodactyl, making it call out in pain.

"Good, time to capture you." Zoey says throwing the pokeball, hitting Aerodactyl with it.

Aerodactyl became surprised at the sudden hit and was sucked into pokeball as it shakes a little before it pings. "Alright. Not bad." A scientist said going to pick it up only for it to be teleported away.

"I kinda have six pokemon on me already right now." Zoey says nervously chuckling.

"It's fine. Now then…" The lead scientist said looking to the busted terminal.

"Call the engineers. Tell them to bring up a replacement." A scientist says.

"Sorry." Zoey apologizes.

The scientist sighs. "It's fine. We go through these a lot. Why don't you head out and see what your new friend can do?"

"Thanks." Zoey says heading out with Leafeon towards the pokemon center.

Hours later, Zoey was waiting for Michael to come back as she was starting to grow concerned as it was already past ten P.M.

"Hey, sorry I'm late." Michael said walking up all dirtied.

"You were still mining even at this time?" Zoey asks confused.

Michael shrugs. "I work late a lot."

"Any luck?" Zoey asks.

"No fossils today, but I did make some money which is always good. What about you? How did the amber go?" Michael asks

Zoey smiles. "Caught myself a Aerodactyl."

"Seriously? An Aerodactyl?!" Michael asks shocked.

Zoey smirks. "Jealous?"

"I would be lying if I said no, so I'll say yes." Michael says.

Zoey chuckles. "Don't worry. You'll find yours."

"I just have to be persistent. This is also fortunate for you as this means you have more time to practice for your contest." Michael says.

Zoey nods. "Okay. But by the time the contest begins, you better have found a new friend."

"I can't promise anything, but I will try hard to." Michael says before heading to the showers.

Zoey chuckles. "Make sure to get behind the ears." She teases.


	4. Deep Rocks

"Day three of him going into that mine. How does he stand working in there?" Jack says.

Sneasel raises an eyebrow. "Simple, he just does."

"How bad is it in a mine?" Jack asks.

"Horrible. It is hot and the air can get stale quickly and toxic gas can sink in and kill you without you even knowing it." Sneasel says.

Jack blinks. "So just like the eighty-eight miners."

"It's hard to believe that he got all three of our friends by mining their fossils." Sneasel says offhandedly.

Jack frowns a bit as he stared out the window. "Three?"

"Yeah, the other two are not traveling with us at the moment and you met the third already." Sneasel says.

Jack sighs as he still stared. "So what do your instincts tell you today he finds something or keeps digging?"

Sneasel shrugs. "Maybe, maybe not. Hard to say with him. He either gets really lucky or no luck at all."

"And?" Jack asks.

Sneasel smiles. "He's still happy by the end of it."

"I meant you have good instincts according to Pyroar. What do you feel on this?" Jack asks impatiently.

Sneasel frowns a bit to him at his tone. "Does it matter?"

"I want to know if he will finish today or not, so yes." Jack says.

Sneasel sighs. "Yes. He'll finish today. The contest is getting close and he has to go to it."

"You could have just said so you know." Jack says sweat dropping.

Sneasel rolls her eyes. "You didn't ask the right questions."

Jack huffs and kept staring out the window.

"Hey, the little tyke giving you any trouble?" Zoey asks as the sun starts to set.

Sneasel shakes her head as they look to Jack as he just sat on the bed and stared out the window.

"So Sneasel, why don't you teach Riolu how to battle?" Zoey asks.

Sneasel nods and walks up to Jack before taking his paw and leads him away without trouble as he stared at the ground.

"So what do you think Glameow, we ready?" Zoey asks.

"Meow." Glameow purrs as she moves around her leg.

"Yeah, I thought so too." Zoey says before Michael walks in earlier than the last two days.

"Hey. You find something this time?" Zoey asks looking to his curiously.

"Yeah. I am considering switching out one of my Pokemon for it, but who to pick?" Michael says thinking.

Zoey chuckles. "What did you get?"

"I got this." Michael says before showing her a Kabuto on his Pokedex which she noticed was very different from hers.

"Wow. That's so cool. Not bad." Zoey said smiling.

"Thanks, so you started training your two new Pokemon?" Michael asks.

Zoey nods. "Yeah. I really got plans now. Now I just need a fast outfit."

"You planning to use them in the contest so soon?" Michael asks concerned.

Zoey smiles. "It'll be fine. I have worked with worse."

"A Pokemon that tried to eat your hand?" Michael points out, telling her he talked to the scientists.

Zoey grins. "I had one that poisoned me."

"I will trust you know what you are doing. So when is the start of the contest?" Michael asks.

Zoey smiles. "Day after tomorrow. So we are relaxing and me making my outfit and we are heading in."

"I see…I guess I will switch out Jolteon." Michael says thinking it over.

Zoey sighs. "Leafeon will be sad that happens. Oh well. Times change."

"My Pokemon have come to expect it as I switch them out every so often and try and train up my weaker ones more." Michael says.

Zoey sighs and sits down. "So…going to exchange now?"

"I want to feed Jolteon and tell her before sending her to be with the others." Michael says.

Zoey smiles. "Make sure to give her a big meal."

"I do." Michael says before bringing Jolteon out.

Zoey chuckles as he starts to feed her. "You know; our little guy is docile now."

"Sneasel must have gotten tired of his attitude. She is patient, but she can be scary when her patients run out. You think a Steelix is scary when enraged, you haven't seen Sneasel when she is enraged." Michael says.

Zoey hums. "Wonder how the battling is working out?"

* * *

"Come on pup. Keep up." Sneasel said getting ready to do another quick attack on the slightly hurt Jack.

Jack just blinks as he stares at her.

"Hey, Sneasel!" Jolteon calls getting her attention.

Sneasel stops her attack and looks to Jolteon waking up to her. "Jolteon. What is it?"

"Michael is switching me out." Jolteon says as Jack tries to sneak attack Sneasel with quick attack.

Sneasel smiles and holds out her claw. "Okay. Be sure to say hi for us." She said before Jack hits dead center of her claw and she pushes him to the ground.

"I will. You make sure this pup gets strong, though." Jolteon says.

Sneasel chuckles. "Don't worry. I will." She said throwing Jack back to the other side of the field.

"Before I go, let me show you how I do quick attack." Jolteon says walking up to Jack.

Jack kept frowning as he watches her.

"Watch those rocks over there." Jolteon instructs before the aura that surrounds Jack when he uses quick attack appears around Jolteon. Jack sighs as Jolteon runs off quickly and smashes into the rocks and smashes it into pieces. "And that's how it's done."

"It won't work well translating into me. You are not a good teacher for me." Jack said raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, why don't you try it again then?" Sneasel asks.

Jack tilts his head. "Well for one, she has a different body type. Walking on four legs instead of two. Next is the center of mass. She has it in the middle. Not like me at the waist."

"Did I ask for a lecture or did I tell you to try it again?" Sneasel says going into mother mode.

Jack sighs. "Time and time again no one cares what I say. They just want results from me. Guess nothing is different than the real world." He mumbled as a quick attack aura appears around him as he barely moved.

'Wait for it.' Sneasel thinks before Jack moved faster than ever.

Jolteon smiles as he smashes into the rock next to what she smashed into and destroyed it before heading straight for them. "Hold on pup."

"No difference from seeing a more practiced one huh?" Sneasel asks stopping Jack.

Jack scoffs. "I just wanted to see how you moved." He said before kneeing her in the stomach quickly enough and jumps back. "I kinda wanted to hit you for a while."

"It's still weak. We should work on strengthening your attack power before teaching you new moves." Sneasel says scratching where he hit her, shocking him how little effect it had.

Jack scoffs. "Or maybe I should keep hitting you over and over again."

"Does someone need another spanking round?" Sneasel asks scaring Jack stiff.

Jack growls. "Why don't you come and hit me?"

"I will leave you to cleaning up the masochist's mouth." Jolteon says leaving.

Sneasel chuckles. "Don't worry. I'll make sure he has good fetishes by the end of it."

Jack frowns. "I'm waiting." Jack says before feeling his rear getting spanked.

Sneasel frowns as she kept spanking him. "You need to learn some good lessons."

Jack cries out as he tries to move away only a bit. 'Faster than! Have to be faster!'

* * *

"So Kabuto, you like that?" Michael asks as Kabuto tries some Pokemon food.

Kabuto chitters as it kept eating away at the food.

'Is that at Trilobites?' Jack thinks looking at Kabuto.

Michael chuckles. "Okay then. Keep eating. You need to get used to this new world."

"So what do you think?" Zoey's voiced, says causing Michael to look up.

He stops at the sight of her wearing a light brown suit that seemed to belong to a high classed society than what normal suit goers wear. "Well…um…"

"Stunned to silence huh?" Zoey asks smirking.

Michael gulps. "Somewhat." He squeaks.

"That is good. So you going to cheer me on from the stands?" Zoey asks.

Michael tries to nod. "Yeah…sure."

"Good, I will hold you to that." Zoey says.

"So from the suit, you going with Abra as your first choice?" Michael asks.

Zoey nods. "Yep. Giving the new guy a shot at the races."

"So I'm guessing unlike most Abras, he knew more than just teleport before you captured him?" Michael asks.

Zoey nods. "Got that right. Guessing he must have read our minds."

"I have heard stories of some gym leaders and elite level trainers pulling that off in battles." Michael says.

Zoey grins. "What do you think, we make a good team right?"

"I think you will, but until you battle, I can't say for sure." Michael says as Jack moves in for a closer look at Kabuto.

Zoey hums. "Well we just have to hope well, don't we?"

"I look forward to seeing the routine you have been working on for the last four days." Michael says before the coordinators started to get called to prepare to perform.

Zoey looks to the stadium line filling up. "That's my cue. I'll be looking for you in the stands." She said before walking off.

"You will also be cheering for Zoey, right Riolu?" Michael asks before seeing Jack looking over Kabuto closely intrigued by it. Michael chuckles nervously. "I'll take that as a yes."

* * *

"So a ribbon on the first contest. A sign to come top coordinator?" Michael jokes mimicking a report that questioned her on stage.

Zoey chuckles. "No sir. I am playing the game and having fun." She jokes back.

"I'm surprised none of your fanboys mustered the courage to come to the stage during that." Michael says patting Abra's head.

Zoey laughs. "Well guess they don't have enough courage and so are not good enough to be my boyfriends."

"What about that one girl who called out, will you be my girlfriend?" Michael teases.

Zoey grins. "Nope. Cause I already got a partner."

"And he won his first contest." Michael says making Abra blush.

Zoey giggles. "I'm talking about you, you trickster. But you were good as well Abra." She said petting his head.

Michael froze as he blushed, signaling to Zoey she had won.

Jack raises an eyebrow as the Abra looks at him and he stares at it as it seems to watch him for something. 'I doubt it knows.'

Abra's head then turns to Jack and tilts its head.

Jack huffs. 'So he does know something is wrong with me.'

'You talk to yourself a lot.' A voice in his head says.

"Duh. Why do you sift through and you might find something interesting?" Jack grumbles.

'I did, but only thing I found was empty space.' Abra says in his mind.

"Why you little…!" Jack begins.

"So Kabuto here is adjusting well?" Zoey asks looking to him attached to Michael's arm.

"I think he likes the food so far." Michael says.

Zoey chuckles. "So you planning hard for the gym here?"

"I learned all about Roark's battling style." Michael says as Jack stared at Kabuto again.

Zoey hums. "Let me guess, try to be like a rock."

"Nah, I think my current team is good enough as it is." Michael says as Jack pokes Kabuto.

Zoey chuckles. "Well, I'll be cheering you on then."

"I am heading there now. I set up a match with him ahead of time." Michael says.

Zoey sighs. "Well let's go. Can't keep the foreman waiting."

"Nope…come on Riolu. You can look at Kabuto when we get there." Michael says.

Jack kept poking Kabuto as it seems to stare at him.

"So going to have Kabuto battle in this?" Zoey asks.

"Nah, going to train with him a little first to see what he is like in battle." Michael says patting Kabuto.

Zoey hums. "You know. I have been wondering. Do gym leaders have their own Pokemon to use or do they have to get specific strength Pokemon just to make it fair?"

"Mostly they use the latter, but if requested, they will use their own Pokemon." Michael says.

Zoey nods. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah." Michael says as they head to the gym.

* * *

"The next battle of Oreburgh gym is about to begin. In the blue corner, Michael from Vaniville Town and in the red, the gym leader Roark." The referee announces.

Zoey smiles as she and Jack are sitting in the stands. "Come on man. Don't lose and make me look bad."

"The match will be three on three battle. The challenge will end when one side's three are unable to continue and only the challenger will be able to substitute Pokemon. Now let the battle begin." The referee calls.

Roark chuckles and throws a Pokeball. "Alright. Come out geodude." He calls and a Geodude came out as it pounds the ground a bit.

"Alright then, I will start out with Arche." Michael says throwing his Pokeball and Archen comes out and hovers midair from flapping.

Roark smirks. "Challenger always go first."

"Archen, start with plan two quick attacks." Michael says orders before Archen's body produced an aura and started zipping around everywhere.

Roark smiles. "Hidden power."

Archen who was heading straight for Geodude suddenly used its speed to veer off and avoid Geodude and its hidden power, completely confusing Roark and Geodude. "Now Archen, ancient power to his back." Michael orders as Archen used the speed from the quick attack to get behind Geodude and forms a glowing ball of energy in front of its body and shoots it at Geodude.

Geodude turns to him shocked before getting hit by the energy ball and gets knocked down.

Michael says nothing as Archen seems to glow for a brief moment, signaling the second effect of ancient power was also triggered. 'Good, now Archen will be faster and stronger.' Michael says as Archen watches Geodude carefully.

Jack tilts his head as Geodude gets back up and turns to Archen.

"Archen, steel wing." Michael says and Archen's wigs start to glow as it rushes towards Geodude.

"Rollout." Roark said watching the fossil Pokemon carefully.

The two Pokemon neared each other as Michael smirks as Archen suddenly dodges at the last moment by an inch before launching another ancient power, blasting Geodude point blank.

"Whoa, Archen has been well trained. Michael doesn't even need to give him commands to know what to do and when." Zoey says impressed.

Jack scoffs as he crosses his arms.

"You want to be down there?" Zoey asks.

Jack looks up to her frowning.

"Archen didn't glow again so it must not have powered up again." Zoey comments as Geodude struggled to get up.

"Archen, finish him, steel wing." Michael says before Archen launches itself at Geodude and slams him with the steel wing before Geodude could react.

Jack sighs as he rolls his eyes. "Can't believe it. It's actually boring than the show up close."

Zoey sighs and pats his back as she turns back to the fight and sees Geodude being returned. "Not bad kid. You and your friend still ready?" Roark asks taking out another Pokeball.

"Archen, you up for round two?" Michael asks and Archen nods many times.

Roark chuckles and throws the next one. "Come on out Onyx." He calls and the large rock snake appeared roaring.

"As I thought. Archen, plan seven. Earthquake!" Michael calls and Archen shoots down and slams on the ground, sending shockwaves of energy that slam into Onyx before he could react and shaking the entire gym.

Zoey and Jack cry out as the stands shake and Jack tumbles forward and falls onto the stand seats and lands onto the ground. "Ow. I wish this was as simple as the show. At least I wouldn't get hurt."

"That was a shock." Roark says as Onyx was still reeling a bit from that attack.

Zoey carefully walks down and picks up Jack. "Careful next time." She calls to Michael.

"Archen, don't let Onyx have a chance to recover. Ancient power!" Michael calls.

"Quick Onyx, use dig!" Roark calls and Onyx dug himself underground and avoided the ancient power.

"Archen, quick, don't let him complete his attack. Earthquake!" Michael calls.

Archen growls and hits the ground and makes the ground shake again as the ground started to be broken up now.

"I get it. Since Onyx is underground, the attack, plus the noise, will be amplified a bit." Zoey says as Onyx was forced up but it's head slams into Archen, hurting it a bit and sending it into the air.

"Come on Onyx, double edge." Roark calls.

'Archen can't take too many of those hits, so I guess I show it now.' Michael thinks before calling, "Archen, Bulldoze!"

Hearing that, Archen's eyes narrow before rushing to the ground and stomps down on the ground and creates a shock wave on the ground, crashing towards the target.

Onyx roars and tries to use double edge before being hit and tumbles to the ground in a heap.

"Onyx is unable to continue; the winner is Archen." The referee calls.

'Archen is tired after using its most powerful rock and ground type moves back to back and its damage is hurting it.' Michael thinks as Archen lands and takes a breather on a rock.

Roark sighs and recalls Onyx. "Okay, still ready to continue?" He asks taking out a third Pokeball.

"Archen, your call. Stay in or get swapped out?" Michael asks.

Archen growls and shakes itself before glaring to wherever the new Pokemon might come out.

"Alright then Cranidos, you're up." Roark calls, throwing the final Pokeball.

Michael frowns a bit as Cranidos roars as it comes out and scratches the ground like it was about to run.

"Ah, Cranidos is all about attacking will little defense. We might be able to finish this. Archen, Bulldoze, go!" Michael calls.

"Zen head-butt." Roark calls back and Carindos charges as his head lights up as Archen slams the ground and sends shockwaves that destroy the ground of the direction he's facing and makes Carindos stumble a bit, but kept charging before hitting its head into Archen and knocks him down.

"What…I see he didn't try to dodge and did what I didn't expect and charged right through it. He may have suffered some damage, but secured the win." Michael says to Archen after picking him up.

Archen groans weakly. "Oh, tough break for Archen. He was doing so well." Zoey says.

Jack rolls his eyes as he crosses his arms.

"Someone jealous?" Sneasel asks.

"Shut up." Jack grumbles.

"Rest up Archen. You did well for your first gym battle." Michael says returning him to the Pokeball.

Archen caws softly as he was returned as Michael grabs another Pokeball. "So…who do you have next?" Roark asks.

"Let's go with psychic, shall we?" Michael asks before throwing out Lulu's Pokeball.

Lulu smiles as she waddles into the broken field and tilts her head at the sight of Cranidos. "Ral?" She asks pouting to him and looking to Michael.

Michael nods. "Yep. Battling that one."

Lulu looks back and forth, thinking about this. "His best moves involve charging straight at you." Michael whispers to her.

Lulu nods as she smiles. "Ral." She said as she seems to get into a stance.

"Begin!" The referee calls.

"Carindos, head-butt, go." Roark calls and Carindos changes.

"Lulu, double team combined with confusion." Michael calls before Lulu starts moving super-fast and creates copies of herself, making Carindos stop and look around trying to decide which to attack before he felt his mind getting bombarded with psychic energy.

"Huh, so she isn't a slowpoke at all." Jack said before feeling a small invisible hit on his forehead. "The heck?" He asks rubbing his head before he felt something tap there again.

"Oh, looks like Kabuto is interested in what you are as well." Zoey says.

Jack looks up with his eyes and sees Kabuto looking down at him as it kept tapping his head. "Hey, you pull a head crab and I start shooting circle saws."

Kabuto kept poking his forehead with one of his legs, either ignoring or not understanding what he was saying.

Jack kept grumbling as he crosses his arms.

Carindos growls as he tries to find the real Lulu and prepares to charge again.

Michael chuckles as Lulu kept bombarding Lulu with psychic blasts and overloads. "All right Lulu, end it." He said before Lulu stops doing double team and stops in front of Carindos before charging a confusion and fires hit and knocks Cranidos down onto his back.

"Cranidos is unable to battle. The winner is the challenger!" The referee calls.

"We won…again." Lulu cheers.

"Good job Lulu. You won your first gym battle." Michael says picking her up.

Lulu giggles and hugs him.

"A nice job Michael." Roark says walking up.

Michael chuckles. "No problem. We all at least try our best."

"Here. You and your Pokemon earned this." Roark says presenting a Coal badge to him.

"Thank you." Michael says letting Lulu grab it and holding it up proudly.

"So tell me, what is plan two and plan seven?" Roark asks.

"Plan two is basically a plan that involves faking out with many different attacks and try to move into an opponent's blind spot if possible for Archen. While plan seven is switching to more offensive battling." Michael explains.

Roark chuckles. "Not bad. Not bad at all. I still wish I can pull my own planning and moves like that…but, regulations."

"Well, what are you going to do, right?" Michael asks as Kabuto comes towards him, hanging onto Jack like a backpack.

Jack points to Kabuto. "Lulu, get this guy off."

"I think you have a new friend little guy." Roark says smiling.

Jack groans and slouches. "This feels like a bad buddy movie." He said as Kabuto pokes his back

"Come on Kabuto. Let's get you off of him." Michael says reaching down.

Jack looks up at him with a deadpan expression as he grabs Kabuto and tries to take him off. "Hey buddy, off, now." He said poking back.

Kabuto taps his claws as it releases Jack and was lifted up.

Zoey sighs as she walks up. "So…ready to head out? There is enough light to head down to the next town."

"I want to have Archen looked over by the pokemon center first before we head out. That alright with you?" Michael asks.

Zoey nods. "Yeah. Let's hurry up." She said walking out with him.

* * *

"So what did you think?" Michael asks later that night in the pokemon center.

Zoey chuckles. "Not bad and awesome at the same time."

"I bet you didn't see Earthquake or Bulldoze coming, did you?" Michael asks.

Zoey frowns a bit. "No. And you knocked the little Riolu down from that."

"Sorry, but even I didn't think Archen's earthquake would shake the entire building. I was a little surprised by its power when boasted with Ancient power." Michael says.

Zoey shakes her head. "Me thinks he needs training. How much training has he had?"

"Riolu or Archen?" Michael asks.

Zoey sighs. "Your flyer."

"I have been training him for months now. I have been focusing on his offensive skill first as they were somewhat lacking when I first got him. Hard to believe huh?" Michael asks.

Zoey sighs. "Train him on earthquakes and how to bring it down to a specific area. Maybe break up like half the field the opponent is on."

"How did you know I was planning on refining his attacks next?" Michael asks confused.

Zoey looks innocent. "Um…because we were affected by it."

"…well as you saw, his attacks are now strong, but his defense is mostly lacking so I must also attend to that." Michael says.

Zoey nods. "See that you do. We really don't want a repeat of what happened." She said looking over to the sleeping Jack as he was in bed.

"Hum…according to this, there are wild Machop on route 207 that we are taking. Any pokemon you interested in trying to catch on that route?" Michael asks giving her the book.

Zoey hums and looks over the page. "Not really. I'm mostly fine here."

"…wait, is that a ponyta?" Michael asks seeing the picture upside down.

Zoey gives back the book. "Yeah. Why? You want one?"

"I never got the chance to catch one." Michael says.

Zoey smiles. "We'll see about finding one when we get there."

"Oh boy. Here we go again." Sneasel says sweat dropping hearing all of this as Michael started acting like a starry eyed kid again.

Zoey chuckles. "Geez, you're such a kid. It's like you have your first Pokemon again."

Michael, hearing that, chuckles embarrassed as he rubs the back of his head.


	5. Mellowing Life

"Stay still for a bit or you're going to scare him off." Zoey scolds in a whisper.

Michael only smiled as he watched the grazing Pokemon.

Jack rolls his eyes as he and Sneasel watch from the tree line. "Oh boy. Such a smug bastard." He said before walking off.

"He isn't smug. He likes Pokemon a bunch, which is why you are not already in a Pokeball." Sneasel says.

Jack rolls his eyes as Kabuto stays on his back and taps his shoulder. "I know buddy. Crazy guys huh?"

"So you and Kabuto have bonded." Sneasel says.

"Shut up." Jack said still walking.

"Does someone need another spanking?" Sneasel says shutting him up immediately.

Jack growls under his breath as Kabuto kept tapping his shoulder and Sneasel was wrapping the busted wire carefully around her claws.

"So what is your plan?" Michael whispers to Zoey.

Zoey looks to him. "My plan? You want this guy."

"You're not going to try and get you one. I would think a Ponyta would be a good contest partner." Michael says.

Zoey hums. "If only there was…you have to be kidding." She said seeing another ponyta walk up.

"It can't be. A shiny Ponyta?" Michael whispers in absolute shock.

Zoey looks to him. "Now the question is who gets the shiny."

Michael says nothing and just walks out and sits there, making sure the shiny could see him perfectly.

Zoey sighs as she just waits until both of the ponytas look to him and look to each other before the shiny took a hard step forward.

Michael, seeing this, didn't budge an inch and just waited for the shiny to approach.

The shiny ponyta tilts its head before slowly stepping forward as it seemed ready to attack as it kept getting close to him before a stopping in front of him.

Michael slowly reached out his hand and continues waiting.

"It's been over an hour." Jack complains.

Sneasel smacks him over the back of his head. "Shh and watch." Sneasel says as the shiny ponyta looks suspicious before starting to sniff him.

Michael stayed smiling as it kept sniffing him and his hand before pushing its snout into his hand.

"Whoa, Michael knew just what to do…" Zoey says before trying to contain her laughter when the Ponyta knocks off his hat and starts chewing on his black hair.

"Okay, easy." Michael said smiling as he pushes at its snout slightly.

The Ponyta responded by pushing him back with its snout.

"Will you come with me on my journey?" Michael asks starting to pet the Ponyta.

The ponyta neighs and bumps against him.

"Alright." Michael says bringing out an Oran berry and feeds it.

The ponyta seems to smile as it eats the berry.

Michael holds up a quick ball and tosses it at the Ponyta after it finished the berry.

Zoey smiles. "So…?"

The ball soon beeped and teleported away. Michael, seeing this, gives her a thumbs up where she was sitting.

Zoey sighs and carefully walks over before sitting down ahead of him. "Well,Pokeball…at least I can try your trick."

"Just give it time to trust you." Michael says walking a bit away as the herd was now a little nervous.

Jack sighs. "Yeah, I'm going to look around." He said before walking away.

"Kabuto, watch his back for him." Sneasel says.

Kabuto taps Jack's back at that.

Zoey sighs as she waits for a while as the herd seems to eye her carefully now before a few walk up to slowly as they seem to watch for anything she might do.

'That's right. No sudden movements.' Michael thinks as he watches.

Zoey sighs as the few walk up to her closer before she slowly reaches into her bags and takes out a few Oran berries in her hands and holds it out for them.

Michael watches as a brave one takes the berries as Jack gets surrounded by the herd.

Jack sighs and rubs his head. "Take it all in boys." He said as he frowns.

The ponyta soon start nudging him with their noses.

Jack groans and looks to them before frowning more. "How about saying something?"

"This is a cute one." A female says.

Jack slouches at that. "Why am I always called the kid?"

"Wait, he has a friend." Another says noticing Kabuto isn't a part of his body.

Jack hums and looks back to Kabuto as it kept poking his back. "You know you can stop that now."

"I have never seen these two around here before." Another says as Jack found himself the center of that part of the herd's attention.

Jack sighs. "You know; I still don't get why I was brought here."

"Having a good time?" Michael calls to both Zoey and Jack.

"Shut up." Jack calls as he was nudged again.

"Fine here." Zoey calls and keeps getting more berries.

"Looks like Riolu and Kabuto made some new friends." Michael says.

Zoey chuckled. "Yeah, looks like. Maybe we should get the whole herd so they can enjoy each other."

"I wouldn't go that far. So I see one has taken the b…" Michael stops and suppresses a laugh as it was Zoey's turn to get her hair chewed on.

"Hey!" Zoey complains as she tries to get her hair back.

Jack snickers a bit at that and then looks up to the herd looking at him. "You guys better not do that. Why chew hair anyway?"

They all just start snickering, telling Jack it was an inside joke.

Jack frowns and points to them. "You guys suck."

"So going to take the one chewing on your hair for your team?" Michael asks.

Zoey nods and takePokeball. "Yep. Come here boy." She said tapping the ball against him and sucks him in before it pings. "Got him." She said fixing her hair.

"So in two weeks since we met, you have gotten three new Pokemon and a new ribbon, how do you feel?" Michael asks.

Zoey smiles. "I feel amazing."

Michael chuckles as he gets up as Sneasel and Jack made their way to them.

Jack sighs and turns to Kabuto on his back. "Had fun you?"

Kabuto pokes him a few times.

Jack rolls his eyes as Zoey looks to her Pokeball as it disappeared. "Okay, head north and we can deal with getting our new friends into our current team. But…it's a bike route ahead." Zoey said slouching a bit.

"Is there somewhere we can rent a few?" Michael asks.

Zoey sighs. "The next town, which is stupid."

"I bet if someone opened a bike station on this end and in town, they would make a killing." Michael says sweat dropping.

Zoey rubs her head. "I'm sure we can find a shortcut somewhere. Let's just hurry."

"Lead the way fair maiden." Michael says catching Zoey off guard.

Jack facepawed. "You have to be kidding me. We have a casanova."

Zoey was shocked into silence as Michael walked by snickering, letting her know he got her back.

"You big…!"

* * *

All of them finally crawled out of the cave and saw Eterna City in front of them. "Yes! We made it…and I'm dead tired." Jack said collapsing.

"How long were we in that cave system?" Zoey asks tiredly.

Michael groans and looks at his Pokedex. "About…huh, almost ten days. Seriously, we are getting bikes and we are keeping them."

"I won't argue with you on that." Zoey says as the rested against each other's back.

Jack groans and cracks his back. "Kabuto, tap if you are alive."

Kabuto taps Jack a few times.

Zoey pants and wipes her forehead. "First thing, bikes. It should be on the way to the Pokemon center and then…I need a nap."

"You know we could teach our ponyta we caught to let us ride them." Michael points out.

Zoey raises a hand. "You know we need to get to the Pokemon center I have no energy to hit you over the head." She said dropping her hand.

Jack groans. "It looked so easy in the show. Two episodes or one for each route." He groans out as he rubs his legs.

"Here." Michael says offering his canteen.

Zoey sighs and takes it before drinking it and passing it to Jack who eagerly drinks it. "Can't believe we made it. You are okay, right?"

"I'll be fine…is your Pokemon ok from the training we attempted in there?" Michael asks.

Zoey leans her head back. "Half and half. We really put them through the ringer."

"No shit." Jack mumbled as he kept rubbing his paws.

"So how did you get Aerodactyl to cooperate?" Michael asks.

Zoey smiles a little. "I told the guy that if you don't cooperate, we are going to be bone and dust and you won't be able to fly like you wanted ever again."

"Yikes. You are scary when you want to be." Michael says as Jack was wondering where was Kabuto's mouth to give him a drink.

Jack looks Kabuto over as it chitters as Zoey chuckles weakly. "I try. Have to be at times…but I hate doing it. I don't want to be scary. I want others to like me, not fear me."

"Trust me, I know how do you feel. One of my buddies was a real handful when he evolved and he is a full carnivore like your Aerodactyl." Michael says.

Jack lightly runs a paw over the shadowed areas of Kabuto. "Really? How long till you got him under control?" Zoey asks looking to him amused.

"It took a while." Michael says not seeing Zoey smile as they were back to back.

Jack raises an eyebrow as he felt a slit that seems to lightly bite at his claw. "Okay." He said bringing the canteen and holds to Kabuto and it starts to drink the water.

"Find its mouth?" Michael asks.

Jack nods as it kept drinking. "Ri."

"Jack seems to have really bonded with Kabuto." Michael says.

Zoey raises an eyebrow. "Can Kabutos be male or female or are they genderless?"

"Seven out of eight are male." Michael informs.

Zoey sighs and brings out her Pokedex. "Let's see." She said scanning Kabuto and stops. "You have to be kidding." She said seeing a female. "We got a girl?"

"Whoa. A twelve point five percent chance and we got it." Michael says yawning.

Jack starts to blush as Kabuto who now seems to be enjoying herself. "Um…sorry for…touching you."

Kabuto didn't seem to register as she kept drinking.

Zoey sighs and lets her arm fall. "Town?"

"Yeah, if you are ready to continue." Michael says.

Zoey nods. "I'm ready for a nice soft bed." She said getting up.

"Same." Michael says before walking over and picking up Jack and Kabuto to carry with Sneasel still on his shoulder.

* * *

"I'm sorry, but we only have one room vacant right now." Nurse Joy says.

Michael looks a little shocked as Zoey sighs. "We'll take it." She said rubbing her head.

"Very well." Nurse Joy says before taking Jack, Sneasel, and all their Pokeballs.

"No. Help. I'm bored to death. I need a revive star." Jack mumbles halfheartedly.

"Shut up pup and get some rest." Sneasel said tiredly.

"So…um, how will we do this?" Michael asks embarrassed.

Zoey rolls her eyes as she takes the keys. "Take each end. Hope we don't roll off the bed." She said walking to their room.

"So who gets the shower first?" Michael asks.

Zoey groans. "Me. I feel like crap right now."

"Alright. I will wait in the room." Michael says as she opens the door.

Zoey chuckles a bit. "You're not going to peek, right?" She teases.

"I'm no cad." Michael says taking a seat against the wall.

Zoey keeps chuckling as she enters the bathroom. "Don't sleep." She said closing the door behind her.

Twenty minutes later, Zoey emerged wearing a bathrobe and found Michael hadn't budged. Zoey sighs and leans down to him. "Oh, Michael. Rest up." She said going to get some clothes after taking off his hat.

Michael's only response was his quiet breathing.

* * *

Jack groans as he sits up and rubs his eyes. "Hey." He heard as something pokes him in the side and looks to see Sneasel there. "Show me and I'll hold it." She said holding up the wire.

Jack blinks surprised at that. "Why? You threw it away."

"Well you are not acting like a spoiled little child anymore, so I decided to help you, but the thing is with Michael's stuff and to get there, we have to get past the guard." Sneasel says motioning to the Chansey working.

Jack lazily blinks over. "Oh, that's easy." He said before jumping down off his bed and goes to another one and messes with the wire after lifting a cover. "This always works in the movies." He said before taking out a wire and an alarm sounded before replacing the cover and pulls Sneasel away to another corner.

Sneasel looks over and sees the Chansey rush over and tries to figure out what is wrong as they slip out. "Told you." Jack said tiredly as he rubs his head.

"Where are you two going?" Chansey asks turning to them.

"Trainer. Need to see them. Don't worry. Just a rest anywhere and we are fine." Jack voiced as he rubs his head as Sneasel was already back where she started.

Chansey says nothing else and picks him up and puts him back where he was laying earlier.

Jack groans and turns over in his state. "Forget this." He said tiredly.

"Here you go little one." Chansey says holding up a cookie and a glass of warm milk.

Jack pushes them away. "Cold blanket."

"Take the cookie and milk." Sneasel whispers, knowing how scary a mad Chansey is as she turns on the blanket's heater.

Jack yips and throws off the blanket and groans. "I hate the heat!" He yells and tries to cool himself down with the metal of the bed.

"Oh, then here." Chansey says offering a glass of cold water.

Jack happily takes it and drowns it down and gasps an air of cold breath. "I love cold." He said before falling back down to the bed. Chansey smiles and picks him up and starts rocking him.

Jack frowns up to her. "Doesn't work."

Chansey keeps going and soon Jack yawns tiredly.

Sneasel blinks as she tries to think of what he likes. 'Since when does his type like the cold?' She asks herself as Chansey puts him down on the bed before covering him up with a blanket only a little this time.

* * *

Zoey yawns as she stretches on the bed, noticing nothing else was in it.

"Michael?" Zoey calls getting up.

Looking around, she finds him still where he was last night, still sleeping.

Zoey sighs and gets up and goes to him before shaking him. "Michael."

"Huh?" Michael asks opening his eyes before yawning loudly.

Zoey sighs. "Time to get a bath and dress up. New day."

"Did I fall asleep waiting?" Michael asks before yawning again.

Zoey nods. "You rested up now?"

"Should be good." Michael says getting up with his joints popping a few times.

Zoey winces a few times. "Get a bath. You stink."

"Ok." Michael says walking as if nothing happened.

Zoey shakes her head as she sits back down on the bed and waited. After about half an hour, Michael emerged wearing a bathrobe like she did last night. "I have learned I have no clean clothes left so I need to wash them." Michael informs.

Zoey facepalmed. "Let me guess, you need to go wash your clothes in that?"

"Unfortunately yes." Michael says looking around for his hat.

Zoey holds up his hat. "You better hurry before everyone sees you."

"Could you check on our Pokemon while I do this?" Michael asks.

Zoey nods and gets up and leaves after tossing the hat him. "You be careful."

"I will." Michael says taking his backpack with him.

* * *

Zoey sighs and rubs her head. "So much trouble today."

"Snea?" Sneasel asks turning her head.

Zoey looks to her. "Hey, how are you doing?"

"Snea." Sneasel says stretching a bit.

Zoey smiles. "That's good. And little Riolu?"

Sneasel points to him helping Chansey.

Zoey smiles. "Good. So any trouble?"

Sneasel shakes her head before a female voice behind her says. "Zoey, is that you?"

Zoey looks at her and smiles. "Hey, Dawn." She said seeing the blue haired girl.

"Hey. I didn't expect to see you here…is this your sneasel?" Dawn asks curiously.

Zoey shakes her head scratches under Sneasel's chin. "No. Just a friend's."

"Oh? So what are you here for?" Dawn asks.

Zoey smiles. "I'm here for the contest to enter the grand festival again. You?"

"Same here. So what about your friend?" Dawn asks.

Zoey hums. "He's here for the gyms."

"Oh, I see. So Zoey, you usually like to travel with just your Pokemon. What changed?" Dawn asks.

Zoey smiles. "Oh, just that being married has its perks. Can't believe I didn't do it sooner."

"What!?" Dawn nearly yells in shock making Zoey laugh at the overdramatic reaction.

Zoey keeps laughing as she tries to get ahold of herself. "You…you should have seen the look on your face."

"Not funny Zoey." Dawn says before sighing in relief.

Zoey smirks. "Are you jealous or relieved so you can date me?"

"Ok, that was not called for." Dawn says facepalming at her friend having fun.

Zoey kept snickering now. "So…I have to see our Pokemon. Want to join us for a bit?"

"Sure, but where is your traveling companion? Out training like Ash did when we traveled together?" Dawn asks.

Zoey sighs. "No, he's more relaxed."

"So what is he doing?" Dawn asks.

"Laundry." Zoey says simply.

"Seriously?" Dawn asks sweat dropping.

"Yeah, told you he was more relaxed." Zoey says.

Dawn sighs. "Okay then. When will he come out?"

"Don't know. So you catch the broadcast of my last contest?" Zoey asks.

Dawn nods. "Can't believe you made it that much. What are you planning for the next one?"

"That is a secret. Which reminds me. What did you think of one of my newest additions, Abra?" Zoey asks.

Dawn smiles. "He's cute. If you can make it through with just him, I'll be surprised."

"I still need to work with him. We have a lot of refining to do before we do another sweep like that. Some of his moves were a little sloppy in the battling portions." Zoey says.

Dawn nods. "You did take a few hits."

"Yeah, but you should have seen his gym battle. Talk about power being thrown around. The entire building shook from a few moves." Zoey says.

Dawn hums. "Seems to me you have some catching up."

"Don't get me wrong, his Pokemon had good attacking power, but it's defense and control were lacking. Its speed was alright though I guess." Zoey says.

Dawn chuckles. "Remember how many times at contest?"

"A few." Zoey says chuckling as Sneasel looked between the two as they chat at a table.

Dawn grins. "And how I beat you?"

"I remember beating you at the grand festival." Zoey says smirking back.

Dawn gives a hurt look. "Now why do you have to bring that up?"

Zoey chuckles. "Because you did it first."

Dawn smirks. "Okay then. How about a bet?"

"Oh? You have my attention." Zoey says.

Dawn grins. "You lose and you have to wear a dress at your next contest."

"And if I win?" Zoey asks.

Dawn smiles. "I'll…go on a date."

"With?" Zoey asks smirking.

Dawn chuckles. "You of course."

"How about with someone I pick instead?" Zoey asks.

Dawn sighs. "Fine, go ahead and choose."

"I'll choose when I win. So what is the bet?" Zoey asks.

Dawn smiles. "The contest. We just have to win."

"So who ever does better, wins it huh?" Zoey asks smirking.

Dawn smirks back. "Got that right. So are you going to lose for me?"

"Ha, yeah right." Zoey says confidently.

Dawn chuckles. "So are you going to train for a bit now or just relax here and enjoy till the contest?"

"Yeah, we just got in last night. We spent over of a week walking and half the time it was in underground tunnels." Zoey says.

Dawn looked a bit worried. "How long was that?"

"About ten days I think. The cave systems under Sinnoh are expansive." Zoey says.

Dawn sighs. "Guess you couldn't onto the bike trial, huh?"

"We tried, but they kept nearly running us over." Zoey informs.

Dawn shakes her head. "So…what are you going to do now?"

"We are resting up. We will train a bit for what is coming up." Zoey says.

Dawn smiles. "I think I will train with you for a bit. Maybe get some ideas." She said smirking a bit.

"You'll need it to beat me." Zoey says smirking.

Dawn giggles and looks around. "So any new Pokemon?"

"Yeah, on the way here I caught a Ponyta." Zoey says.

Dawn was a bit surprised. "Really? Where is he right now?"

"With the rest of my Pokemon. I haven't traded him into my team yet." Zoey says.

Dawn smiles. "Well, you can be sure I got some new ones as well. And no, I'm not going to tell you."

"So want to meet my other new Pokemon?" Zoey asks.

Dawn nods. "Yeah, can't wait."

"Let me get them from Nurse Joy and I will show you in the training yard out back." Zoey says getting up.

Dawn smiles. "I'll wait."

Zoey heads for the counter as Sneasel looks at Dawn.

Dawn smiles and waves. "Hey. I'm sorry I haven't introduced myself. I'm Dawn."

"Sneasel." Sneasel says.

Dawn sighs. "As always. I wish we can all talk to Pokemon and make this easy."

"Snea." Sneasel says.

Dawn reaches out and scratches her under the chin. "Hope you and your friends can be friends."

Sneasel purrs at that as Zoey comes back. "I see you aren't wasting time making friends."

Dawn chuckles. "She's cute."

"So you coming or you want to stay and keep petting Sneasel?" Zoey teases.

Dawn sighs and stops scratching Sneasel's chin. "Let's go." She said getting up and following her out.

"Ok, come out everyone." Zoey calls throwing all six balls into the air.

They all cry out as they came out and Ponyta shakes himself before walking over to Zoey and nuzzling her head.

"Is that an Aerodactyl?" Dawn asks.

Zoey nods. "Got him from a fossil. He's tamed, don't worry." She said rubbing Ponyta's neck.

"You sure?" Dawn asks nervously as the Aerodactyl looked at her hungrily.

Zoey whistles loudly and makes him turn to her. "Hey, do I need to remind the cave? Because I can put you back there." She warns as she frowns at him.

Aerodactyl looks sheepish and apologetic hearing that. "Aero."

Zoey nods. "See that you behave or…" She lets the threat hang.

"Boy, you picked up a stubborn one, didn't you?" Dawn asks.

Zoey chuckles. "Him? He's nothing compared to another one with us."

"Your husband?" Dawn teases with her joke from earlier.

Zoey looks to her deadpan. "No. A baby."

"I would joke about you starting a family, but I am more interested in who you mean right now." Dawn says.

Zoey rolls her eyes. "A Pokemon baby. Little pup. A few months to date maybe."

"You did it with a Pokemon?" Dawn asks snickering.

Zoey groans. "No. Why does your mind go to the gutter?"

Dawn smirks. "Short skirt."

Zoey shakes her head. "Anyways, I found the little guy when I found him with my traveling friend. Saw him get pushed around and you know how I feel about that."

"Another Pokemon was bullying him?" Dawn asks.

Zoey shakes her head and looks to her. "Human. Really fat kid. Even stomped on an Oran berry he had. Poor kid. Anyways, saved him, helped out, started traveling with both of them. But…the kid is a brat. Seriously…it's like he never had a mother with him."

"So what now with him?" Dawn asks.

Zoey sighs. "Just simply treating him like a kid and having him grow up and learn. Just as any Pokemon. Besides, he's mellowed out right now. He's not as bratty lately."

"Oh, I bet that is a load off your shoulders." Dawn says.

Zoey chuckles. "Yeah. He's maturing fast, but time will tell."

"Zoey, this your friend?" Michael calls out walking up.

Zoey nods. "Meet Dawn. Childhood friend. Kinda cute, isn't she?" She asks smirking to Dawn.

"Me or her?" Michael asks walking up with Kabuto holding onto his arm and Sneasel riding on his shoulder.

Zoey chuckles. "Her. Come on, she's cute right?"

"I would say yes." Michael says as Dawn notices that Kabuto wasn't an armband.

"Um…what's that?" Dawn asks pointing to Kabuto.

"Zoey already told you how she found a fossil and got it revived?" Michael asks.

Dawn shakes her head. "Not really."

"Well, she did while we were in Oreburgh City. I also excavated a fossil. Come on Kabuto." Michael says holding out a hand for Kabuto to crawl onto.

Kabuto chitters and crawls onto his hand and chitters to him.

"This is Kabuto." Michael introduces.

Kabuto chitters to Dawn then.

"Oh, that is cute. Hello, little guy." Dawn says.

"Girl." Michael corrects.

Dawn blinks. "Really? How do you know considering that…well…" She said pointing to the shadowed areas.

"My Pokedex can tell while your version can't." Michael says bringing it out.

Dawn became surprised at the look of the Pokedex. "Wow. We are so behind."

"Kalos does have some impressive tech." Zoey adds.

Michael sighs. "Still, Kabuto here seems have bonded with the pup with us. So why are you having all your Pokemon out?" Michael asks.

Zoey smiles. "Dawn wanted to see who else I got right now. Besides, training time."

"Want some help?" Michael asks.

Zoey nods. "Kinda. I'm sure they would like it." She said patting Ponyta's neck.

"Ok, come out." Michael says throwing up four pokeballs and Archen, Pyroar, Eruption, and Lulu came out.

Pyroar blinks and looks around. "Where's the little pup?"

"Helping one of the scary nurses." Sneasel says as Dawn brought out her pokedex to learn about Pyroar who she never seen before.

Dawn looked surprised at the fact she didn't find information. "Okay. I need to get an upgrade."

"Here, use mine." Michael says handing her his.

"Pyroar, the royal pokemon. With fiery breath of more than 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit, they viciously threaten any challenger. The females protect the pride's cubs." The pokedex says as it shows a picture of both the male and female versions.

Dawn hums. "Huh. I'm guessing this one is watching over the kid."

"Yeah, she is a female Pyroar." Michael informs.

Dawn smiles down to her. "And is he a good boy now?"

"Come to think of it, he hasn't had a bath recently so give him one next chance you get." Michael says petting Pyroar.

Pyroar smiles and purrs. "Of course."

"This is the one I told you about Dawn." Zoey says gesturing to Archen.

"Oh come on Zoey. No way. This little guy can do all of that." Dawn says in disbelief.

Zoey nods. "And he came from another region. Turns out different regions have different amounts, but he got lucky."

"So you don't think Archen has that much power?" Michael asks.

Dawn shakes her head as she starts to scan everyone. "I do. It's just hard to believe that much power."

"Archen, show her your earthquake." Michael says before Archen dives for the ground from where it was hovering before slamming its feet on the ground.

"Wait!" Zoey yells panicked before everyone falls over and to the ground as the whole area shakes before it stops. "Michael!" Zoey yells angry.

"Hum." Michael says standing up through it, thinking after feeling it.

Zoey growls. "Michael, are you going to need me to hit you over the head now?"

"The power is there, but there is a delay between Archen's impact and the shockwave. Not to mention he has to be in the air to even do earthquake and bulldoze." Michael says thinking on it hard in his own little world.

Zoey groans and facepalmed. "I'm hitting him later."

"Is he breaking down the move?" Dawn asks in shock how strong that earthquake attack was.

Zoey nods. "And I can't get him out of that state."

"Were you as shocked as I am from the power of that move?" Dawn asks.

Zoey nods. "Somewhat. He caused a whole gym to shake. A rock type gym."

Archen started to walk around to have a look around.

Zoey sighs. "Any case, he's going to teach him to control the power and maybe make it more refined."

"That what he is doing?" Dawn asks.

Zoey nods. "Yeah. It might take a while though."

Michael hums. "Ground, cracks, rocks. I need a rocky field and a lot of it." He said to himself.

"And this is the guy you joked as your husband." Dawn says.

Michael goes wide eyed at that statement. "Wow, I just need to joke he's my husband and he breaks out of his trance." Zoey said smirking.

"I have a bad feeling about this." Michael says.

Zoey chuckles. "Well don't be honey. You can't be sad when I'm around." She jokes.

"Oh, you got him sweating." Dawn says.

Zoey giggles as Michael gulps and blushes and looks away. "Come on sweetie. Don't hide." Zoey kept teasing.

"Please stop." Michael requests.

Zoey chuckles. "Alright. But only this once…honey." She said before giggling.

Every single pokemon start to chuckle or giggle at that as Michael tries to pull his hat down to hide his face.

"Snea." Sneasel said tapping his shoulder.

"Sounds like some pokemon want some hard training." Michael says.

Sneasel nods and smiles. "Snea."

"Alright. Start by running laps, no flying." Michael says.

They all cry out before starting to run around the field on the ground.

"Bet your glad I am training you right?" Zoey asks petting Ponyta.

Ponyta nickers and nuzzles her hand.

"So this is how you start improving their stamina?" Dawn asks.

"Yeah, the basics are still effective." Michael says.

Dawn smiles. "So what else? Lifting rocks up and down?"

"That helps build physical power, but not so much for moves like flamethrower or psychic." Michael says.

Zoey clears her throat. "Only if you use psychic powers on the rocks and build it up like a muscle. Think of the mind like a second body and if you treat it like regular exercise, then you are building up psychic power."

"But even that method can only do so much. The fundamental idea is correct, but the execution is only sort of correct. I learnt this when I raised Lulu's mom." Michael says confusing Dawn.

Zoey raises an eyebrow. "Lulu's mother?"

"I told you. Lulu is a second generation. I caught her mom in my first year of my pokemon journey when she was a Ralts like Lulu is." Michael says.

"Ral!" Lulu cheers as she passes by with everyone.

"So I have helped raised Lulu from just an egg." Michael says.

"Ral ral." Lulu said looking to them.

"So you have a deep bond with her huh?" Zoey asks.

"Yeah, I have been there for her from the start with Mirage." Michael says.

Dawn tilts her head. "Have you ever used those mega stones we have been hearing about?"

"Um…I am not at liberty to talk about those at the moment." Michael says stiffly as Zoey looked interested.

Zoey raises an eyebrow. "Why?"

Michael seemed to start sweating from the questioning.

Zoey leans in. "Well?"

Michael says nothing as he keeps his mouth shut.

Zoey sighs. "Sorry Dawn. Looks like hubby here is tight lipped now, but what are you talking about?" Zoey asks.

"Oh, you haven't heard the rumors? There is supposedly a stone that was discovered in Kalos that can boast certain Pokémon's power." Dawn says.

Zoey looks back to Michael as he whistles and looks away. "You are going to be telling me soon enough."

Michael says nothing as Sneasel swings her legs.

Zoey leans in closer. "Will you tell me Sneasel?"

"Snea Sneasel?" Sneasel asks.

Zoey slouches a bit. "I wish there were Pokemon translators."


	6. Power Into Life

Jack yawns as he stretches and heads for the trainer's room. "Jeez, wonder what everyone has been doing?" When he enters, he sees most of Michael's pokemon lying about tired. "Geez, you look like you have been through hell."

"Training and you will be joining them soon if you want to get stronger." Sneasel says as Pyroar grabs him.

Jack squirms in her grip. "Can we try the wire already? It's going to take all night to charge anyway."

"You need a bath little one." Pyroar says before starting.

Jack grumbles as he tries to turn his head away. "Come on. Is anyone going to take me…forget it."

"Just take it easy. We are going to be staying for a good while." Eruption says.

Jack kept grumbling to himself as he tried to ignore the tongue bath. "So where is the trainers?" Jack asks.

"Talking and getting us some dinner." Lulu said.

"Dinner?" Jack asks a little excited.

Kabuto chitters and crawls to him before latching onto his arm.

Sneasel smiles. "Yep. Dinner. We all need to eat anyway."

"Yay, food." Lulu says weakly.

Sneasel lightly taps her head. "Just wait."

"So how did Kabuto do?" Jack asks.

Kabuto chitters and crawls onto his head and taps his head.

"She did well. Michael isn't focusing on strengthening her yet. He is getting to know what she can do right?" Sneasel asks.

Kabuto chitters and taps Jack's head.

"So can you understand us? Tap for yes, more for no." Jack says.

Kabuto taps his head once.

"You can? Then why don't you speak up?" Jack asks.

Kabuto crawls onto his snout and chitters as she looks at him.

"You are shy?" Jack asks.

Kabuto chitters and taps once.

* * *

"So you are also a coordinator right?" Michael asks trying to make small talk.

Dawn nods. "Yeah, been trying to take her title for a long time."

"For a year. She started her pokemon journey last year." Zoey informs.

Dawn gives her a playful glare. "Shut up and let me tell my story my way."

"That's impressive. Your first year and already making it to the grand festival." Michael says.

Dawn smirks. "See. He's nice to me."

"He is a good guy. Might act like a starry eyed kid at times, but nice." Zoey says.

Michael clears his throat at that.

"You know it is true Mr. Starry Eyes at Ponyta." Zoey says.

Michael blushes and looks away from them.

"So you know about the current gym leader here, right?" Dawn asks.

"Gardenia. Grass pokemon gym leader. Her usual team is a Cherubi, Turtwig, and a Roserade." Michael says.

Zoey smiles. "He just read the book."

"And studied a few matches I found footage of." Michael says.

Zoey shakes her head. "If I didn't know better, I would think you might be cheating on me."

"I studied each region to help with my decision which to go to compete next." Michael says.

Dawn leans over to Zoey. "He's cheating on you."

Michael nearly tripped as the girls enjoyed messing with him while carrying food back to their room.

* * *

Jack sticks his tongue out as he carefully places the small copper wires. "I wish I had fingers." He said as almost everyone watches over his shoulder.

Sneasel raises an eyebrow. "How do you know this, really?"

Jack sighs. "Experience. Blame my dad." He said trying to stick the wires onto certain pads on the slot.

Everyone looks at him curiously at that as Jack goes more slowly. "Tape." He asks and Lulu floated over a piece of tape for him. "Easy." He said holding the wires as Lulu carefully applied the tape. "Okay." He said pressing the tape and checking the placement. "Plug it in." He said and Sneasel plugs the plug into the outlet. "Now we wait." He said carefully placing the phone down on the desk.

Sneasel raises an eyebrow. "How long would it take if it worked?"

Jack sighs and leans back into the seat. "About…" He looks to it. "Now." He said before the phone beeps as it comes on and everyone looked shocked at that as Jack rubs his head. "It'll take about four to five hours to fully charge, but that's the best I can do until I can find a way to make this official plug."

"I hear footsteps." Eruption says.

"Food!" Lulu calls happily.

"Not before me!" Jack cheers as he jumps out of his seat as Lulu and him run to the door like excited kids before it opens to the three trainers looking to them and gaining amused expression.

"Seems we got some hungry kids." Michael says.

Zoey chuckles. "Shall we start feeding the kids?"

"Want to join Dawn?" Michael asks.

Dawn smiles. "Why not? It might be fun. Plus I am hungry."

"Ok everyone, time to eat." Michael says as Zoey brought out her pokemon.

They all start cheering as they place the food down on the ground and everyone that was already out ends up looking inside to see what they got.

"Easy guys. Leave some for everyone." Zoey warns as she sits down and starts passing out the trays and boxes.

"What about the big guy here?" Michael asks.

Zoey smiles as she looks up to Aerodactyl. "You have to wait, so stop drooling."

"In hindsight, we should have fed them outside." Dawn says as the room was a little cramped now.

Zoey chuckles. "Well it's too late and maybe we can all find somewhere to eat for everyone."

"Kabuto, eat with Riolu. He knows where your mouth is." Michael says.

Kabuto chitters and crawls over to Jack before latching onto his chest. "Hey. Take it easy." Jack said chuckling a bit at the ticklish side of him.

* * *

"They all ate a lot. I was afraid we got too much, but it was almost too little." Michael says breathing a sigh of relief.

Zoey sighs and looks to everyone in the room resting up already as they enjoy the last bits. "Look on the bright side. If we had too much, we can save it for leftovers tomorrow."

"The leftovers that the ice pokemon is being fed by Dawn?" Michael asks as Mamoswine ate what Dawn was giving him through the window.

Dawn giggles. "He eats a lot. I rather not have him eating out of my backpack again."

"That goes to figure being the size he is. He needs a lot of food to keep his energy up." Michael says.

Zoey hums. "Guess we don't have to worry about trash then."

"Seems the kids ate till they fell asleep." Michael says pointing out Eruption, Kabuto, Lulu, and Jack.

Zoey smiles and looks to Kabuto as she rested on Jack's head. "That's so cute." She said also seeing the others rest up against each other.

"We should return some of them to their pokeballs to rest, don't you think?" Michael asks.

Zoey smiles and starts returning hers. "Don't get Kabuto. Leave the two to enjoy full bellies out here."

"I am also leaving out all but my flyer right now." Michael says returning his as Pyroar had already started gathering them up to sleep on her.

Dawn sighs. "Wish I can stay, but this room can only hold so much." She said returning Mamoswine.

"I will see you at the contest." Zoey says.

Dawn nods. "Good luck with yours and remember the bet." Said getting up and walking up.

"I won't forget." Zoey says.

Dawn giggles and walks out. "Night guys." She said closing the door behind her.

"So I'm also going to turn in. I will see you in the morning." Michael says taking off his shoes as he sits on the bed while Zoey closes the window and locks it before closing the curtains.

Zoey sighs and looks to him. "Move over." She said walking over.

Michael does so as he starts to remove his socks.

Zoey sighs and sits by him as she undresses a bit. "So…contest or gym tomorrow?"

"The contest is tomorrow?" Michael asks surprised.

Zoey flicks his forehead. "Training if we have to. Besides, we need to plan. Now…contest or gym?"

"I will help you with your contest training tomorrow while I have my pokemon do some basic drills." Michael says removing his jacket and sets it on a nearby chair.

Zoey smiles. "Good. I'm going to need your training because the way you battle, gives me an idea for the contests. Now I just need to come up with some…but I'm way too full and tired for it." She said laying back on the bed.

"From your contests, I noticed you hesitate a bit if you get countered in an unexpected way." Michael says laying down as well.

Zoey turns her head to him. "Well then afterward, it's either; A, surrender, B, attack dead on, or C, think of a countermeasure back."

"I like to have a plan in place in case of such situation. Whenever I come up with one, I approach as an opponent and think of anyway to counter it." Michael says.

Zoey sighs. "Can you be my opponent?"

"If you want me to be." Michael says.

"So you got a plan on your gym battle?" Zoey asks.

"Well a few, but I have heard how crazy Gardenia is over grass types. I am going to see how much before I choose which plan to start with." Michael says.

Zoey smiles. "Watch yourself. Gym leaders like to be tricky…and seeing your future opponent…kinda makes it easy for them."

"Seeing an opponent in action even once can put them at a major disadvantage against. I analyze what they did over and over in my brain and start to compile scenarios to make myself more prepared." Michael says getting under the covers.

Zoey hums as she gets under the covers as well. "Unless you mislead them. You can show easygoing attacks and the real ones are hard hitters up close."

"If she is crazy enough about grass types, it proves to be a distraction, I will trade out for one of the pokemon I caught in Kalos as my third and final pokemon." Michael says smirking.

Zoey raises an eyebrow. "When did you start getting good at this?"

Michael chuckles nervously. "Truth be told, I was a huge nerd for crime solving shows and books. From them I learnt even the smallest detail can be very important." Michael says.

Zoey stares at him before smiling and snickering. "Really? This bad boy kid right here…was a nerd?"

"I…I'm still a nerd." Michael says.

Zoey chuckles and rolls over. "Well at least you're cute."

"Hey, at least nerds are smart." Michael defends.

Zoey smiles. "I never said they weren't. Just that this one here with me is cute."

Michael says nothing as he faces away and closes his eyes.

* * *

"Eruption, finish this. Fire Spin." Michael says as Eruption spins her tail, creating a circle of flames around Zoey's Glameow.

Zoey frowns. "Swift! Now!" She yells.

"Eruption, Aerial Ace." Michael calls, shocking Zoey as Eruption jumps up with a high burst of speed with a clear aura around it as Glameow's swift disrupts the fire spin long enough to get out of it.

Zoey frowns as she watches her come straight down. "Glameow…tail bounce." She said waiting for a moment.

"Eruption go high." Michael says and Eruption jumps up catching Glameow in the air when she bounced.

Zoey frowns. "Swift her in the face."

"Overheat!" Michael calls before Eruption unleashes a torrent of flames into Glameow as she started to unleash her swift, knocking her out.

Zoey slouches a bit. "Dang it." She grumbles as she rubs her face.

"You see what I mean with your reaction time?" Michael says as Eruption laid on the ground very tired.

Zoey sighs and keeps rubbing her head. "Well I do have some ideas now on immediate reactions."

"You also shouldn't have been taken so off guard by aerial ace. After all, your Leafeon knows it." Michael says.

Zoey hums as Glameow limps toward her and she leans down to her. "Hey, think you…" She starts to whisper into her ear as Glameow leans in.

Glameow turns her head and looks at her after hearing that.

Zoey smirks as they look to Michael and Eruption. "Think you can do it?" She asks Glameow.

Glameow nods. "Ok Eruption, rest up." Michael says returning her before bringing out Pyroar.

Zoey sighs. "Okay Glameow. Fire type mostly. You ready?" She asks tossing an oran berry.

"For this, me and Pyroar will fight more defensively." Michael informs.

Zoey hums as Glameow eats the berry. "Alright then. Let's see what you got. You ready?"

"Pyroar, defensive stance. We are helping train reaction and the offensive moves." Michael informs and Pyroar nods before the heat around her increased.

Zoey smiles. "Start it off Glameow. Swift and left."

"Pyroar, flamethrower." Michael says before Pyroar unleashes it and to Zoey's shock, was moving it like a whip and smacking the swift away.

Zoey blinks surprised before shaking her head. "Glameow, new plan. Up and down." She said before Glameow starts running toward Pyroar.

"Pyroar, noble roar." Michael says before Pyroar roared, not impeding Glameow one bit.

Glameow meows and gets close as Pyroar lowers her front half ready for an attack before Glameow slides at the last bit and gets her tail under Pyroar and springs her upwards before jumping herself and using shadow claw and aims for her stomach.

"Taking advantage of Pyroar's superior size huh? Good." Michael says as the attack lands, but not with the force either Glameow or Zoey was expecting.

Pyroar growls as she lands and shakes herself before smirking as Glameow lands a bit away from her.

"But how?" Zoey asks.

"Noble roar is considered a Pyroar's signature move it is a defensive move that lowers attack and special attack in one go as long as the pokemon doesn't have soundproof." Michael explained.

Zoey sighs. "Okay then. Glameow. Left to right." She said and Glameow takes off again.

"Pyroar, echoed voice." Michael says before Pyroar lets out a roar from it's mouth, not hurting Glameow's ears as bad as noble roar.

Glameow meows and starts to use quick attack and agility back to back as she keeps moving side to side and goes for the left side as Pyroar tens slightly before Glameow does an about turn and goes straight for behind Pyroar before ending up behind her and springs her tail under Pyroar and makes her flip over before using bite and shadow claw together before jumping away.

"I see you copied my move from my gym battle." Michael says as Pyroar gets back up.

Zoey smirks. "Maybe soon you can give me a ring and be done with it."

"How long are you going to keep beating that joke?" Michael asks as Pyroar used echoed voice again and Zoey noticed it was stronger than before.

Zoey chuckles. "Until you do what I suggest." She said before snapping her fingers twice and Glameow runs off to the side of the field before running around it. "I'm sure Dawn will like it as well."

"You realize that glameow seems to have slowed down right?" Michael asks as Pyroar did echoed voice again and it was stronger.

Zoey sighs and looks to Glameow as she kept running. "I wish the effects weren't permanent. Makes things easy…then again…why is she doing that?" She asks as Glameow meows at Pyroar.

"Glameow seems a little worn down, doesn't she?" Michael asks as Zoey starts to notice Glameow was breathing like she had been hit by several very damaging attacks.

Zoey sighs and rubs her head. "Still want to go girl?" Glameow nods and Michael waits for Zoey to put it together. Zoey looks to Michael. "You weaken almost everyone you meet, don't you? Then you power up your own side after that? Hoping to end it quickly while keeping your end strong in the end?"

"Incorrect. Echoed voice has a special function. It's even in the name." Michael says.

"Repeated use?" Zoey asks raising an eyebrow. Michael nod and Zoey sighs. "Alright then. Let's make this our last and give them a rest if we can." She said before snapping her fingers again and Glameow runs straight for Pyroar as she turns to her and Glameow jumps and prepares shadow claws on both paws as Pyroar seems to be building up something in her mouth as embers come out of it before Glameow gets close and suddenly twists around and wraps her tail around her head and shuts her mouth closed before landing on her back and starts scratching at her back before biting into the back of her neck and then jumps off and lands by Zoey. "Draw?" Zoey asks.

"Don't count Pyroar out yet." Michael says as Pyroar started to really release heat, making it to where Zoey could even feel it from where she was.

Zoey sighs and wipes off the sweat off her head. "Okay then. Glameow, still ready to go?"

"You got a counter for this?" Michael asks.

Zoey frowns. "Not by much, but…swift." She said and Glameow spits out the golden stars.

"Why not teach her shadow ball?" Michael asks.

Zoey rubs her head. "Working on it. We were just starting on it before I met you."

"Try that." Michael says.

Zoey keeps rubbing her head. "Glameow." She said and Glameow charges up a shadow ball in her mouth, but it ended up being very small and fizzling out.

"So with swift and what will be Glameow's only ranged moves?" Michael asks.

Zoey sighs. "Thunderbolt and Secret Power really."

"Try one of those now." Michael says.

Zoey looks to Pyroar and blinks at the sight two of them. "Oh crap." She said as Glameow was hissing at the two images.

"Create enough heat and it's the same as a desert." Michael says.

Zoey sighs. "Thunderbolt. All over the area."

Glameow starts shooting thunderbolts all over the place and not really hitting anything, but the ground.

Zoey frowns as the thunderbolts pass through the images. "Great. He knows how to manipulate mirages."

"Ok, now double team." Michael says and the images started multiplying.

Zoey quickly wipes her eyes as the images were all over the place. "Whoa, this is…oh boy…" She tries to say as both her and Glameow start to get dizzy from it all.

"What do you think?" Michael asks as Pyroar starts running around making it look like they was surrounded.

Zoey blinks as she tries to focus with Glameow doing the same. "Dizzy."

"So what do you think of this as it is just a double team." Michael says as the heat was like a cone now.

Zoey blinks and shakes her head quickly. "Um…oh boy…"

"Think you can do that?" Michael says as Pyroar stopped.

Zoey groans as she regain her focus as Glameow was stumbling around before stopping and barfing. "Um…I think you just broke a few rules." She said sitting down now.

"And those are?" Michael asks.

Zoey shakes her head. "Attacking the trainer. Even indirectly."

"Actually no. The rule is as long as it is not a move. This isn't even a move it is just Pyroar increasing her temperature." Michael said.

Zoey blinks and rubs her head. "I think I'm going to be sick."

Michael walks over and lends her his shoulder for support.

Zoey sighs and leans against him. "You have to be careful of what affects the trainers. It can get you in trouble in different areas." She said as Glameow lays down.

"I learnt that when I faced one of Kalos's elite four." Michael says.

Zoey shakes her head. "Do you do this to everyone?"

"No, just showing you some tricks…by the way, are your elite four a bit like prima donnas?" Michael asks.

Zoey smiles. "We have one that gives celebrities a run for their money. Cynthia. She's…kinda…I don't know how to put it."

"Come with me and I think you will understand what I got this from." Michael says leading her along as Pyroar carries Glameow.

Zoey sighs as she hangs onto him. "Where are we going?"

"To the computer." Michael says leading her inside and to a free computer.

Zoey rubs her head. "What are we looking up?"

"This is the Kalos elite four member Malva's official stage for taking challengers." Michael says before bring up a video of the opening to a challenge for her.

Zoey blinks slowly as she watches the challenge. "Huh. At least it's not as punishing as what you put out. That's almost a stage decoration and gradual heat up. You…you would rather burn the air and the opponent Pokemon and trainer along with it."

"Oh no. She keeps those things going around the challenger." Michael says.

Zoey shakes her head. "I mean how long and intensity. You…well you would rather start burning things. I would think that you were a pyromaniac."

"Look how close the challenger stands to them and it gets hot fast. To the point it is hard to concentrate." Michael says.

Zoey hums as she leans more on him. "Okay. You had it tough. I get it." She mumbles.

"Yeah, you see where I get the idea from right?" Michael asks.

Zoey actually snores and Michael looks to her to see her sleeping. "She hates the heat." Dawn said behind them.

"I see." Michael says as Dawn takes a look and winces.

Dawn sighs as she sees the video. "Being born near winter areas, I doubt she can take it. It's why she stuck close to contest. It's also why she stayed in winter areas the whole time and going to hot areas in the winter time as well. This…she can't last a few minutes before getting overheated."

"I wouldn't know. Mom and I traveled around a lot. She was a Rhyhorn racer." Michael says.

Dawn smiles. "Then you are used to every climate. Some of us…" She looks to Zoey worried. "Aren't that lucky. Be careful where you travel with her. She's going to need more help in heated areas than you."

"Yeah, but I also never really had a home. Comes with traveling so much." Michael says.

Dawn nods and leans down to him. "Be careful. Okay? Because if she dies from overheating and you were there…I'm going to kill you."

"Sneasel, give us a very low powered icy wind." Michael says.

Sneasel smiles and rubs her claws together before blowing a bit and chills them down. "Huh…wha…who turn up the AC?" Zoey mumbles as she opens her eyes.

"Hey, look who is resurrected." Dawn says.

Zoey groans as she sits up. "What happened? Feels like I was in a volcano for some reason."

"Not a volcano, but you lost consciousness from Pyroar's heat." Michael said.

Zoey rubs her head. "Oh. Guess I know better when to go against you."

"Yeah, so now Dawn here proposed to you." Michael says.

Zoey goes wide eyed. "What?!" She yells looking shocked to her.

"So when is the wedding?" Michael says letting her know he was getting her back.

Zoey frowns to him and hits his side. "Shut up idiot."

Michael chuckles.

Dawn smirks and hugs Zoey. "Oh Zoey honey, come on and be nice. Besides, we got a lot planned for our wedding night."

Michael, hearing that, starts more laughing than chuckling.

Zoey hits him. "Shut up! If anyone is going to have to a wedding night anyway, it's going to be me and you!" She yells before stopping frozen in her angry stance.

"…please repeat." Michael requests stopping dead.

Zoey stayed frowning before huffing and turning away.

"Geez, girl's got some issues. Needs to get laid." Jack said walking up while munching on a piece of meat in his paw.

"Were you serious?" Michael asks as Jack wondered how old is Zoey.

Zoey growls under her breath as Dawn slowly backs away from them and Pyroar scoops up Jack and follows Dawn. "S…somewhat." Zoey stuttered.

"I…don't know what to say. Except it is flattering." Michael says.

Zoey shrugs. "Good." She said still looking away.

"Want to talk about this?" Michael asks.

Zoey shakes her head. "I'm fine."

"You sure?" Michael asks concerned, actually making her smile.

Zoey nods. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"I'll be training Archen." Michael says trying to give her space.

Zoey nods as he gets up and walks away. "Okay, we need to get them together." Jack said watching him leave.


	7. Finally

Michael sighs as he rests on a bench with Archen on his shoulder resting.

Archen caws softly in his ear.

"You got better but nowhere near what we are aiming for." Michael says.

Archen caws weakly as he laid his beak on the side of his head.

Michael sighs. "We'll keep working. Just need to work on what to do next."

"Might I suggest lifting weights or rocks with wings?" Someone asks behind him.

"Huh?" Michael asks leaning his head back till he could see what was behind him.

He saw an oranged haired woman in green and black clothing behind him. "Hi there. So…you ever tried that type of training?" She asks looking over Archen.

"We are mostly working on this guy's control." Michael says patting Archen's head lightly.

Archen caws and nuzzles his hand.

"So who are you?" Michael asks, trying to hide he didn't know it was Gardenia.

She smiles. "Gardenia. Gym leader. Want to try a pre-battle if you are going for the league?"

"You're the gym leader? I figured you for a beauty pageant winner." Michael says.

Gardenia raises an eyebrow. "Really now? Beauty pageant winner?"

"Yeah." Michael says trying to flatter her and make her blush.

"Oh go on you." Gardenia says smiling.

Michael chuckles a bit. "Any case, I'm just waiting till Archen is back with a full breath. Then it's back to training. Want to sit with us for a bit?"

"Sure." Gardenia says taking a seat.

Michael sighs and keeps leaning into his seat. "So…what are you doing here?"

"I'm trying to get away from the gym for a bit." Gardenia says.

Michael chuckles. "Wait…let me guess the situation. 'Ugh. All these trainers. And all of them using their original starter with no variety. It's like a metapod with harden. That's it, time for a walk.'" He mimics in her voice.

"…maybe." Gardenia admits.

Michael smiles. "You're safe with me. Besides, if I was going to challenge you, it's going to be with variety and more Pokemon."

"Huh?" Gardenia asks.

"I'm from Kalos. I try most likely use what you are used to." Michael says.

Gardenia raises an eyebrow. "What?"

"I am here for similar reasons." Michael says.

Gardenia hums. "Trouble with trainers challenging you?"

"No, I was looking for some new challenges." Michael says.

Gardenia smirks. "I can help with that."

"You mean you didn't get your job for your good looks." Michael jokes.

Gardenia rolls her eyes. "Don't bother with that line. You're not the first person to hit on me."

"Actually, I am trying to make you feel better with jokes." Michael says.

Gardenia smiles at that. "Well, now it's working. Still need to work on execution."

"So what have you heard about Kalos?" Michael asks.

Gardenia nods. "Tons. Gym leaders and all leaders have heard of it. You from there?"

"It is my home region." Michael says.

Gardenia smiles. "Great. Now I got a real challenge ahead. So…you going to try your plans in front of me? I'll treat you to dinner."

"Nah. I will leave it a surprise, but are the rumors true and you like grass types?" Michael asks and Gardenia's smile grew.

Gardenia chuckles. "A lot. Got any?"

"Yes, I'll tell you what if you calm down a bit and back up so I have some breathing room. I will bring one when I challenge you." Michael says as she was very close to his face now.

Gardenia looks between them before chuckling nervously backs away clearing her throat and looking away. "Sorry."

"Ok, thank you." Michael says.

Gardenia sighs. "So…going back to training?"

"No, I have a companion who is entered into the contest today and I'm going to go cheer her on." Michael says.

Gardenia chuckles. "Just be sure to be there for her."

"That is the plan." Michael says.

Gardenia raises an eyebrow. "I mean to be there. Some wins and losses are hard to swallow."

"Every journey has its ups and downs. I know from experience." Michael says getting up and returning Archen to its Pokeball.

Gardenia sighs. "Well, I'm sure you handled it yourself, but do you want others to go through with it like you?"

"You can't win every time and I will be there for her." Michael says heading out.

Gardenia waves him off. "Good luck."

* * *

Zoey looked depressed she had lost to Dawn in the semi-finals.

"Hey, you okay?" Michael asks walking up to her.

"Yeah, I'm good." Zoey says before feeling something cool touching her neck.

"I thought you might need a drink." Michael says.

Zoey smiles and reaches up and grabs the cold bottle. "Thank you." She said taking it and starting to drink.

Michael takes a seat beside her and hugs her to her surprise. "Feeling better?"

Zoey slowly looks to him and smiles. "Yeah. Thank you."

Michael smiles. "So Dawn said something to me about a bet between you two. What is that about?" Michael asks reminding Zoey of the consequences of her loss.

Zoey sighs. "I have to wear a dress."

Michael was silent hearing that.

Zoey sighs and leans against him. "Thanks for the drink."

"No problem." Michael says before letting her go and opening his own.

Zoey makes his arms stay around her by grabbing his hands. "No, stay. I kinda like it."

"You really like me like that?" Michael asks.

Zoey smiles a bit. "Maybe…time will tell."

"So guess who I encountered while I was out training." Michael says.

Zoey looks to him. "Who?"

"The gym leader." Michael says.

Zoey looks surprised. "You met Gardenia?"

"Yeah, skipping out on the gym. She seemed bored. Kinda like me with the Kalos league before I came here." Michael says.

Zoey smiles a bit. "Really now? So…did you challenge her?"

"I'm waiting for the official gym challenge, but now, I know my strategy." Michael says.

Zoey chuckled. "Of course you do."

"She is more crazy for grass type than rumor says." Michael says.

Zoey giggles. "And of course you would figure that out. What's next, asking you out on a date?"

"I don't think she likes me in that way." Michael says sweat dropping.

Zoey chuckled. "Good. Because you better start dating me."

"Y…you were serious?" Michael asks shocked.

Zoey smiles at him. "If you want it to be."

"I…haven't thought of that before now." Michael admits.

Zoey smiles gently. "If you don't want to do this…I understand."

"Just…give me time to think it over." Michael says hesitating in the middle.

Zoey nods slowly. "Take all you need."

"Thanks." Michael says before taking another drink, missing the smile Zoey had.

Zoey smiles sadly at him and takes her own drink.

* * *

Jack stares at the phone on the desk as it continued to charge. "Hey, does anyone know how much the plug puts out?" Almost everyone looks at him with a raised eyebrow. "Never mind." Jack said turning back to watching it as Kabuto crawls up and onto his chest before snuggling him a bit.

"When do you think the others will get back?" Eruption asks.

"Probably a few hours at most. Can't believe she lost." Pyroar said.

"She barely got edged out in it before time ran out." Jack comments.

Pyroar hums. "Well…life is full of losses at times."

Jack fought back the instinct to say something insulting hearing that.

Sneasel sighs. "Well…it might give them a chance to get together…if they do get together at all."

"Humans finding a partner for life is more complicated." Jack says.

Kabuto chitters and taps his chest.

"Humans are very complicated." Lulu says answering Kabuto.

Jack chuckles. "And love to make puzzles out of everything."

"What now?" Lulu asks getting a little hungry.

Jack looks to her. "Why? You hungry?"

"Yes." Lulu says.

Jack hums as he digs around Michael's backpack. "Must be something he left."

Lulu leans in. "There should be a trail snack in there." She said before Jack pulls out a bag of trail mix. "Thanks." She said taking it and starting to munch on it.

"You have a fast metabolism, don't you?" Jack asks. Lulu just giggles as she keeps munching away. "You know, I'm surprised your kind can be so slim no matter what. Still…everyone is different." Jack said raising an eyebrow.

Lulu smirks to him. "Slim huh?"

Jack shrugs. "Yeah, you really can't keep eyes off at times. Maybe your passive ability should be attract."

"Is it me?" Lulu asks smirking.

Jack nods. "Yep. Considering that I view one as a mother and the other as a crazy aunt. While the one on my chest…I haven't decided yet." She said patting Kabuto's shell.

"Who are you calling crazy?" Sneasel asks miffed.

"Guys, we are back." Zoey says entering the room.

They all cry out and take note of the expression on Zoey's face. "Anything we…Lulu. What did I say about getting into the trail mix?" Michael playfully scolds with a smile as he walks in.

Lulu starts eating it one at a time instead of hand fulls she was getting.

Michael chuckles. "Zoey, remind me to get more bags. Ten of them."

"What is her metabolism?" Zoey asks.

Michael shrugs. "If it's anything like her mother, fast."

"Oh boy." Zoey says.

Michael smirks. "That's why I said ten. Her mother went through a whole box in two days when she was with me." He said picking Jack up before putting him on the desk and sitting in the chair.

"So…" Zoey stops seeing what Jack had done.

Michael follows her gaze and blinks at the sight. "The heck…?" He asks picking up the phone and Jack watches carefully to make sure it doesn't become loose. "This is…crude. Heck…it's…is this thing working?" He asks hitting buttons and sees the screen come on.

"Oh good. Fully charged. Need to work on stopping the signal gathering until…no. Need a compatible computer to make the data and I don't know a damn thing about programming." Jack mutters to himself.

Zoey leans in and reads the screen. "Huh." She said sliding her finger and stops. "Do…you know?" She asks seeing it ask for a password.

Michael shakes his head as he tries a few common ones and doesn't get in. "Nope. That's all the common." He said before Jack snatches the phone and types in the password before starting to shut most of the things he doesn't need off. "That should save my battery."

"That retro thing working?" Michael asks.

Jack frowns. "Retro? This thing is new. Don't you have touchscreens?"

"Yeah, it is working." Zoey says.

Jack rolls his eyes a bit as every one of the Pokemon seems to watch as he retreats back to his old style. "Oh boy. At least I don't have to hide."

"So what is your strategy?" Zoey asks.

"Her greatest weakness is grass type fascination so I will bring in two of my Pokemon with the professor for this battle, but Eruption will get a shot for the first battle." Michael says.

Eruption cheers and jumps around at that.

"That means you got to train extra hard." Michael says to the excited fire type.

Eruption grins and gives a few air punches.

"Pyroar and Lulu, going to see the others. I know Mirage is going to like this." Michael says.

They both give a paw and hand up as Lulu went back to eating.

"Oh, this must be good." Zoey says.

Michael smirks. "Now now. All good things come to those that wait."

"You are now teasing me." Zoey says.

Michael rolls his eyes. "Now what gave you that idea?"

"Come on, let's feed them. Lulu is obviously hungry." Zoey says.

Michael smiles. "Got that right. She usually eats about two whole plates of food in the end."

"Ra." Lulu replies.

Michael points to her. "See?"

"Then feed her." Zoey says.

Michael chuckles. "Lulu, come here and I'll feed you."

"Rats." Lulu says getting up.

Michael smiles and lifts her up. "Now, let's see what I have here." He said digging around in his bag.

* * *

Dawn sighs and knocks on Zoey and Michael's room, expecting to see a sad Zoey.

The door opens and Zoey smiles seeing Dawn there. "Hey, Dawn." She said smiling a bit.

"Zoey, are you ok?" Dawn asks.

Zoey nods. "Yeah. Great job winning."

"Thanks." Dawn says seeing Lulu clear a plate.

Zoey sighs. "What do you need?"

"I was coming to see how you were." Dawn says noticing Zoey was sitting very close to Michael.

Zoey smiles. "Well, I'm super fine. You won't believe how supportive his Pokemon are."

Michael, hearing this, looks at her.

Zoey looks at him and shrugs. "What? You all are."

"What about Michael himself?" Dawn asks.

Zoey clears her throat. "He's fine. He's like a great friend."

"So what are your plan now?" Michael asks.

"Well, I want to travel with you to see Zoey in a dress. Not that I don't trust her. I just want to see it in person." Dawn says.

Zoey frowns and shakes her head. "I hate you."

"Oh come on Zoey. Be a good sport." Dawn says smiling.

Zoey frowns to her. "Don't make me say I love you."

"Oh, I am up for some lesbian action." Dawn jokes.

Zoey growls under breath. "Shut up."

"I'm so questioning sexuality here for that girl." Jack said still on his phone.

"So what do you think Zoey? She coming with us?" Michael asks.

Zoey points to her. "If she keeps her hands to herself."

"Only if you do." Dawn jokes.

Zoey rolls her eyes. "See what I had to deal with."


	8. Real, Not

"So this is the gym…it looks partly like a ruin with all the plant life going on it." Michael says looking at it.

Zoey smiles. "Welcome to Eterna gym."

"Well…better than dropping on a spider web like structure and having to fight through a gauntlet of trainers before reaching the gym leader." Michael says.

Zoey just looks to him with an eyebrow raised.

"The Santalune gym. Bug types." Michael says giving some context.

Zoey shakes her head. "Let's just get this done."

"So what is your strategy?" Dawn asks.

"You shall see." Michael says entering the gym and met with the receptionist.

Zoey leans over. "He's like that."

"To the stands?" Dawn asks.

Zoey nods and pulls her along. "Come on. Let's go."

"You think he will win?" Dawn asks taking a seat.

Zoey shrugs. "Hard to say at times, but he has been pulling wins lately."

"So Gardenia, you ready for the challenge?" Michael asks.

Gardenia grins. "Been ready. Now show me what you got."

"First, one of my young ones want to try and prove herself. Eruption, time to battle." Michael says throwing his Pokeball.

Eruption gives a cry as she appeared and glares to whatever Gardenia is ready to throw.

"Turtwig, let's go!" Gardenia calls throwing hers and the little turtle type gives a high pitched cry before planting its feet into the ground.

"Ladies first." Michael says.

Gardenia chuckles. "Aren't you a gentleman. Alright then, Turtwig, razor leaf."

"Eruption, shoot them down with ember." Michael instructs.

Both the razor leaf and ember went at each other before the ember burns the leaves and went at Turtwig before Gardenia smirks. "Reflect!" She calls.

"Protect." Michael says before both throw up their defenses.

The ember went at Turtwig before it deflects off the light wall and went back at Eruption before it went around her shield. "Now that's a draw move." Gardenia said smirking.

"Eruption, dig." Michael says.

Gardenia chuckles as Eruption digs into the ground. "Grass knots and withdraw."

"Eruption, that should be enough. Now heat it up." Michael says as soon the heat started to rise from the field.

Turtwig frowns as the grass starts to heat up before it slowly burns away and it withdraws into its shell as it started to sweat profusely. "Turtwig, rest up in there and reflect." Gardenia calls.

Michael smirks as the move Turtwig was using wasn't helping.

Gardenia shakes her head as Turtwig seems to sweat more. "Alright Turtwig, razor leaf on yourself and make it fast and show yourself." Gardenia calls.

"Eruption, time to show yourself." Michael says and soon a flamethrower erupts from the ground and out comes Eruption.

Turtwig seems to croak as it sends the razor leaves around itself before it actually lifts it up into the air in a small hover. "Now withdraw." Gardenia said smirking.

"Now finish this up." Michael says before Eruption rushes forward and jumps up to be practically face to face with Turtwig.

Turtwig quickly withdraws into its shell and starts to spin with the razor leaf.

"Overheat!" Michael calls. Eruption, hearing that, glows red and then releases an extremely powerful blast of orange-yellow fire point blank at Turtwig engulfing it in flames and incinerating the leaves.

Turtwig croaks his name out as he fell to the ground and knocked out. "Not bad." Gardenia said returning Turtwig.

"You notice that it wasn't the damage that knocked it out?" Michael asks.

Gardenia nods and looks to the stands a bit. "Is she okay?" She asks worriedly that Zoey is now sleeping against Dawn.

"Don't worry, I got this." Dawn says turning on a fan, waking her up quickly.

Zoey shakes her head quickly as she sat up. "Wha…oh you have to be kidding." Zoey grumbled.

"Good job Eruption, return." Michael says.

Eruption gives a claw up as she was returned. "So who are you going to choose now?" Gardenia asks taking out a Pokeball.

"From now on, only Kalos grass types." Michael says nearly making Gardenia trip.

Gardenia gasps and drops her Pokeball as Cherubi came out and cries out before stopping short and looks to her trainer as Gardenia cheers excited. "Cher?"

"Alright, let's go Gogoat." Michael calls, a name no one in the gym recognized as a large goat type came out and huffs.

Gardenia keeps cheering excited. "Oh my gosh! That's such an amazing Pokemon!" She cheers as Cherubi walks to her place on the field.

"Gogoat is also a fully evolved Pokemon," Michael says.

Gardenia cheers louder. "I want to see the other evolutions!"

"Only two and now I let you go first again." Michael says.

Gardenia keeps cheering under her own breath. "Cherubi, oh my gosh, leech seed." She calls out watching excited.

"Gogoat, you ready?" Michael asks.

Gogoat huffs and scratches at the ground.

"You know how we start off, bulldoze." Michael says.

Gogoat huffs and lifts its front hooves up before stomping them on the ground and sends the heavy shock wave at Cherubi and knocks her down. "Chu…" Cherubi calls and looks to Gardenia for an order.

"Did you see that? Gogoat has a lot more control than Archen." Zoey says.

Dawn nods. "Makes sense that he would be able to figure this out. Explains his training to everyone."

"Gogoat, aerial ace." Michael says surprising them.

"You have to be kidding me. Not again." Zoey mumbled as she buries her face in her hands.

Gogoat suddenly charged at a great speed, the aerial ace aura around him.

Gardenia was shocked before she called out, "Grass knot!" She calls.

"Gogoat, jump!" Michael calls as it became a contest of who could execute the move first.

Cherubi cries out as it sends out the move and Gogoat prepare to jump and heads up as the grass knot came out of the ground and tries to reach up to grab at his hoof, but misses. "Solarbeam!" Gardenia calls suddenly.

"Gogoat, power through." Michael calls.

"Go!" Gogoat calls, showing no signs of hesitation.

Cherubi strains as it charges up a beam before quickly firing from its leaves and hits Gogoat straight into its chest as it jumps right at it. "Cher?" Cherubi asks panicked and confused.

"Gogoat, horn leech." Michael calls and through the smoke, Gogoat comes burling in, it's horns glowing green.

"Cherubi, move!" Gardenia calls.

"Too late." Michael says as Cherubi was hit and flung back into the air.

"Cherubi!" Gardenia calls and Cherubi lands in front of her knocked out. "Oh, Cherubi."

"Cherubi is unable to battle. The winner is Gogoat." The referee says.

"What did you think? When Gogoat starts moving, it is hard to stop the charge." Michael says.

Gardenia returns Cherubi before cheering out loud. "Oh my gosh! He's amazing."

"Time out ref. Let's let the gym leader at least touch the grass type she has never seen before." Michael says as the referee facepalms.

Gardenia cheers and rushes over to Gogoat before looking over the grass growth on him. "Oh my gosh. This is amazing."

"He also lets other's ride on his back." Michael says.

Gardenia gasps and rubs her hand on the grass growth. "Can I?"

"Go ahead. I will be changing him out for the third battle." Michael says and Gogoat lays down so she can get on easily.

Gardenia giggles excitedly as she hops on his back. "Oh my gosh. This is the most amazing day of my life."

"Gogoats also can sense the emotion of people when they hold onto their horns while they ride." Michael says.

Gardenia smiles greatly and touches her hands to his horns. "What then? What else can he do?"

"A lot. He may not be able to match the speeds of a Rapidash or a Dodri, but he can better navigate rough terrain than those two." Michael says.

Gardenia grins and leans forward. "Well, what else? I want to know!"

"I would tell you, but I have one more grass type that you have never seen before." Michael says tossing a Pokeball up and down.

Gardenia was suddenly in front of him. "Show me!"

"Battle first." Michael says.

Gardenia frowns. "You tease."

"You get to see it in battle." Michael says.

Gardenia pouts as she trudges back to her spot. "Hold back brat." She mumbled to herself as she takes out her Pokeball.

"Gogoat, take a rest behind me." Michael says.

"Go." Gogoat grumbles as he walks and sits behind him.

"Ladies first." Michael says a little cheekily.

Gardenia kept grumbling to herself as she throws her Pokeball. "Roserade!" She calls and a walking rose came out and takes a small stance.

"Referee, you mind dimming the lights a bit. I got a story I think Gardenia will like." Michael says with a smirk.

The referee looks confused before going to a light switch and dims the lights a little.

"Tell me. What do you know about Kalos' route twenty or more commonly known as the Winding Woods?" Michael asks.

Gardenia raises an eyebrow. "Route twenty?"

"Oh, you don't know?" Michael asks, Gogoat and Sneasel nearly laughing, knowing what was coming.

Gardenia frowns. "Just send out your Pokemon already."

"Oh, aren't you interested in one of the best places to find grass type Pokemon?" Michael asks as Sneasel, in the dim lighting, got the Pokeball from Michael with no one noticing as the storm that was forecasted, started rolling in.

Gardenia was now paying attention. "Ok. I am interested now." Gardenia says.

"You know, it has a third name I will share with you later." Michael says as he thunder was heard outside. "You see, although the forest is abundant with Pokemon, humans don't like to go through it." Michael says.

Jack cracks open an eye as he lays on the benches and takes out the earbud. "This is either going to lame or good."

"Why is that?" Gardenia asks.

"It has a certain reputation. But to tell you about this, we are going to have to go back a few hundred years." Michael says.

Jack sighs and puts the earbud back in. "And it's lowered in rank. The best way is put it like the murderer is still out there and only happened a year ago."

"Oh, it gets better. This is just to give some context." Sneasel says to him.

Jack cracks an eye at her. "Crazy aunt, I know how to make ghost stories. The way he's going, it's disjointed. I can literally make this better. Basically, where if you don't respect any peaceful creature of the forest, you are taken and is forced to stay awake as the watcher of the forest start to make you a permanent addition to the forest by first tying you to a dead tree and then splits open your stomach before spilling your blood on the ground as water and then uses your intestines as a makeshift trunk holder and let's the tree grow slowly. And as the tree grows, it slowly takes you apart from the leg up. You are awake the entire time and you are forced to watch as it takes your body parts and fuels the tree before all that's left is your head and then you are put into a tree hole and left there to watch, watching over others that might disrespect the forest lest it happens to them. The only thing left to warn others, the blood mark in a shape of a heart of the fully revived tree." Jack said with a straight face and a never changing expression.

"Have any of you heard of the Kalos bloody valentine? It was a succession war way back before Kalos became a republic." Michael asks.

Gardenia raises an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"I think a full explanation would be too long for us so I will tell you the event of it that is relevant to this. At the end of it, the victor captured most of his rival's army in the Winding Woods. Do you know what he did?" Michael asks.

"No, but I have a feeling you will tell anyway." Gardenia said frowning it was taking too slow.

"Well, the decision was quick. The tyrant had been dreaming of what he would do to them for weeks now. So each and everyone were executed in a horrid way. Each one was taken to a tree and then they were gutted and had their little intestine nailed to their tree. They were then forced to play ring around the rosy with the tree." Michael says.

"Oh playing with the organs. Not bad. Still needs work. Not amused." Jack said rubbing his head.

"Well now that you know about its reputation, let's get to the real story." Michael says.

Jack rolls his eyes. "They say the spirits of the victims still live on, haunting the forest as a warning to others. However, when a soul stays too long, the rot it gains leads it to gain some…strange forms." Jack said bored now.

"About twenty years ago, there was a town named Bassan in the middle of the winding forest. It was a generally peaceful small town. It saw a few trainers now and again. Well, one day, the entire town suddenly went dark. No communication or anything came out of the forest." Michael says.

"So they sent a team to look and find out what happened and why they haven't reported anything." Jack said ominously.

"They brushed it off. Like, 'Meh, a phone line must be down.' They will get that fixed in a few days, but days passed and still nothing. Then days became weeks and then became months. By now, people were starting to worry and put together a team to go see what had happened." Michael says.

Jack waves a paw in the air. "Woo hoo, here comes the real start of the movie after the exposition."

Sneasel taps his head and shuts him up. "So the team went to it normally through the path. Maybe the road was blocked, bridges were out, the line was down. However, the first sign something was wrong, was that the town sign was covered up in vines, spelling out no words, but random letters. The town will never keep its sign like that. It likes the looks. And when they entered the town, they all saw small lights line the main pathways of the town, leading all to the middle. Following the lights, they saw the town's center statue was replaced by a tree. But…it didn't seem like a normal tree. It seemed dead. So why was the water lines of the town connected to its roots and no flooding was happening?" Michael asks trying not to snicker.

'I'm not liking where this is going.' Zoey thinks as the storm picked up speed outside and lightning started to sound.

Michael chuckles. "But then a Murkrow landed on the dead branch and literally drops a dark stone before rising off again and when tried to see it, they couldn't find it. However, looking back to the tree and it seems to have its branches moved a bit from when they first saw it."

"Saw what?" Gardenia asks a little hesitant.

Jack rolls his eyes. "Tree demon?"

Michael hums. "Well…it's kinda hard to describe it. But I'm sure the picture on the wall behind you can help." He said grinning.

Jack raises an eyebrow as he looks and shakes his head. "Campfire move. Stupid campfire move." He said laying his head back down before he hears an ear piercing scream.

Gardenia pants frantically as the large tree creature with its red eye looked at her. "It's…it's…"

"The souls of those tortured in the bloody valentine have risen and they want revenge on the world, but the team didn't discover this and that night, with a storm like this, something happened." Michael says.

The creature leans closer to Gardenia slowly as she pants heavily and more frantically.

"That night they sought shelter in the city hall and then one of them noticed something in the lightning. The forest was closing in on the town." Michael says.

The creature moves its branch slowly toward Gardenia as she remained frozen as she couldn't get her breathing under control.

"And the last thing any of them ever did in Jisatsu no mori is scream their death scream!" Michael calls as the lightning sounded.

The creature suddenly grabs Gardenia and holds her as she panicked and screamed as she tried to get out of its grip.

"Ok Trevenant, that is enough. You had your fun. Now it's time to battle. You can turn up the lights now." Michael says.

Jack shakes his head. "I got way better." He said already getting a few ideas as the lights went back to normal as Trevenant laughs.

"Sorry, but Trevenant refused to battle unless he got to do this." Michael says.

Gardenia blinks and glares to Trevenant as he puts her down. "Nope. Not a cool Pokemon."

"He is a ghost grass hybrid, but that ghost story isn't one I made up. It is a ghost story that has been around for decades. We just keep updating it to be more modern." Michael says.

Gardenia points to Trevenant. "No. I mean I don't like this grass type."

"Trevenant, put her down and onto the battlefield." Michael instructs.

"Trev…" Trevenant said and puts her down and let's her pat down her clothes before heading to his place on the field.

"Shall we continue?" Michael asks.

Gardenia nods. "Roserade, stun spore."

"Trevenant, psychic." Michael says shocking and horrifying Gardenia.

Roserade hurries to send out a stun spore before being hit and knocked back as her stun spore never came out as she tries to get back up.

"Trevenant, before Roserade can recover, confuse ray." Michael says before Trevenant let out a sinister ray of light.

Roserade became wide-eyed and tries to get up quickly before suddenly rolling around and looks around confused. "Roserade!" Gardenia yells.

"Now power up punch." Michael instructs and Trevenant charges forward to punch.

"Move it! Come on girl!" Gardenia yells and Roserade tries to move away, but ends up moving towards Trevenant before being punched away. "Roserade." Gardenia said worriedly.

"Barrage of that attack." Michael instructs.

Trevenant keeps throwing the attack over and over again, trying it's best to hit Roserade as she snapped out of the confusion after the first hit.

"Magical Leaf!" Gardenia yells.

"Time to disappear. Trevenant, phantom force." Michael says and suddenly, after taking the magical leaf, Trevenant disappeared completely.

Gardenia frowns. "Solar beam."

"Where are you aiming and what sun?" Michael asks referring to the storm outside.

Gardenia whistles and points up to the lights. "You don't know greenhouses."

"Ah, clever girl, but still, where is your target?" Michael asks.

Gardenia hums. "Roserade, keep charging."

"If you want to win, you best not take another hit from Trevenant. He got in six power up punch, increasing his physical attack greatly and phantom force is his strongest physical ghost type move. You get hit with that, it's over." Michael says.

Gardenia kept frowning as both her and Roserade kept watching out for anything.

'That punch was awesome. Every time it hit, it powered him up.' Jack thinks.

'That solar beam is trouble with how long it is charging, but phantom force doesn't allow Trevenant to attack for a bit as well, but also makes him intangible so he can't be hit or found. If she is quick on the draw, he might go down as that Roserade is obviously not the regulation strength of the gym. So it must be a personal standard one.' Michael thinks watching with anticipation.

Gardenia sighs. "Roserade, stop and just charge. You'll know when." She said before walking away.

'Did she realize we can't attack yet?' Michael thinks sweating a bit, thinking she had seen through the bravado.

Jack raises an eyebrow. "Almost every gym leader forgets the mind games."

'Ten seconds. Ten seconds will decide everything.' Michael thinks paying close attention to each tick.

Gardenia still hasn't returned as the solar beam kept charging. "She's playing good." Jack said sitting up and stretching.

'Now!' Michael thinks a split second before Trevenant reappeared behind Roserade, his fist covered in a dark aura and swings down.

Roserade suddenly turns and fires point blank and they both hit each other and throw each other away knocked out.

"It was inevitable." Gardenia said returning.

"So did you know what phantom force did or were you guessing?" Michael asks.

Gardenia huffs. "No. Just this." She said before flicking the gym badge over to him. "You were going to win this one way or another. Even if I took out Trevenant, I had to deal with Gogoat behind you."

"And Eruption. Even your personal standard couldn't beat all three back to back." Michael says surprising her that he had caught on.

Gardenia stares at him before sighing. "Better go and get your team healed up." She said before returning Roserade and walks away.

"So did you enjoy this?" Michael asks making her stop.

Gardenia sighs. "Better go get healed up." She said before walking again.

"Trevenant, return." Michael says returning the Pokemon.

Jack stretches some more. "Still need better horror stories."

"How did you get it out without releasing it from its Pokeball?" Dawn asks.

"When the lights dimmed, I handed it off to Sneasel and she released him into the hallway." Michael informs.

Sneasel waves and smiles at them.

"Oh, so the lights were not just for atmosphere. It was to sneak that under our notice as well." Zoey says.

Sneasel snickers as Michael smirks. "Got that right. Need to get every advantage possible."

"Sneaky. Did you learn that from Sneasel as well?" Dawn asks.

Michael chuckles. "Somewhat. She did give me ideas."

"Is that so?" Zoey asks.

"Right. Anyone want to ride on Gogoat back to the center?" Michael asks.

Dawn smiles and raises her hand. "Here."

"Pass." Jack said messing with his phone as he walks up.

"Zoey?" Michael offers.

Zoey shakes her head. "Nah. I would rather stay on the ground."

"Come on, Gogoat will be quick." Dawn says.

Zoey shakes her head. "Nope. Rather walk."

"Gogoat, take Dawn to the Pokemon center." Michael says.

"Go." Gogoat grunts as he lays down and lets Dawn climb on him before walking off.

"Run Gogoat." Michael instructs.

Dawn yelps as she tries to hang onto Gogoat's horn as he runs off out of the gym. "Still need to work on expression." Zoey said picking up Jack.

"You could tell I thought she had seen through me and knew that move fall?" Michael asks.

Zoey shrugs. "She did give off that air, but I don't know. Seems to me of what she said, she could be hinting that she knew all along."

"Umbrella?" Michael offers.

Zoey smiles. "Sure. Let's go." She said walking out with Michael behind her.


	9. Moving On

Jack yawns as he keeps stretching. "Finally going out." He said making sure his phone was charged as everyone finished packing up.

"So we heading east now?" Michael asks.

Zoey nods as she looks at the map. "Yep. But…want to see our haunted place?"

Jack perks his ears up as he leans on the table.

"Haunted place?" Michael asks curiously.

Zoey nods. "We have a real good haunted mansion nearby. It's called the Old Chateau. It might take us west for a bit, but it's a short walk."

"…I'm game. I might be able to catch a new ghost type Pokemon." Michael says.

Zoey grins. "Great. Let's pick up Dawn and head out. Come on Riolu." She said grabbing her bag and heading out.

Jack quickly takes the plug and wire out before stuffing it into Michael's bag before he could close it and snatches his phone as he follows.

"Hi, guys." Dawn says opening the door, smacking Michael in the face when he was about to open it.

"Ow." Michael groans as he slides down the door.

"Nice one Dawn." Zoey says noticing Michael's bleeding nose.

Michael groans as he grabs a nearby towel and holds it to his nose. "Yeah…nice one."

"Sorry." Dawn says sheepishly.

Michael waves her off. "I'll…go grab some first aid." He said walking out as Jack grabs two of his Pokeball switch out him noticing.

"What do you got there little guy?" Zoey asks.

Jack smiles as he opens them and Lulu and Kabuto come out a bit confused. "Up here." He said tapping his head and Kabuto immediately crawls to him and onto his head. "Hey Lulu…do you know what your mother looks like?" He asks smirking a bit.

"Of course I do." Lulu says.

Jack chuckles. "Good. I got big plans. Just…keep that image. Kabuto, I got something for you to do as well." He said before taking Lulu by the hand and leading her out.

"What are you planning?" Lulu asks before they turned a corner and bumped into Gardenia.

"Huh. Now there's something." Jack said as they look at her before he points down the hall.

"Oh, I know you." Gardenia says leaning down.

Jack slouches a bit. "Oh boy. Hi." He said giving a half-hearted greeting.

"You mind showing me where your trainer is?" Gardenia asks.

Both Jack and Lulu point to where Michael went and continues to walk on.

* * *

Michael sighs as he gives Nurse Joy the bloody towel. "Thanks for the quick fix up."

Nurse Joy smiles. "Of course. Some trainers do get hurt once in a while. It's nice to have a change up every now and then."

Michael nods. "Hey…where do you get your nurse's training?"

Nurse Joy just smirks and walks away.

Michael blinks confused as he grabs his bag before stopping at the sight of Gardenia at the door. "Oh. Guess you are here to heal up the Pokemon?"

Gardenia shakes her head. "Had my own healing machine. Any case, because of what you showed me, I'm thinking of coming with you a bit. Maybe see more grass types."

Michael raises an eyebrow. "Really? Who's going to watch the gym?"

Gardenia smirks. "The league always have substitutes."

Michael stares at her before shrugging. "Okay then. Just be ready for surprise attacks." He said walking past her with Gardenia following.

"What do you mean?" Gardenia asks.

"This from a companion opening a door on me." Michael explains.

Gardenia lets out a snicker. "Really? I thought you were the tough guy and got into a fight. You got bloody from a door?"

"Just wait you will see when you get hit by her by accident." Michael says.

Gardenia rolls her eyes. "So…where are you headed to next?"

"Old Chateau." Michael says.

Gardenia raises an eyebrow. "Really? What is making you go there?"

"Zoey asked if I wanted to see your haunted place." Michael says.

Gardenia smirks now. "Let me guess, hearing your story, she wanted to show ours?"

"Maybe…though I am hoping to catch a new Pokemon. I already caught a shiny Ponyta in this country already." Michael says.

"Lucky." Gardenia said a bit jealous.

"I was in shock. Does your country have an abundance of shinies?" Michael says nearly making Gardenia face fault at the ignorance of his question and the childlike innocence of asking it.

Gardenia sighs and rubs her head. "No. You got lucky."

"I have a shiny Ralts, but I got her through breeding. Not catching her in the wild." Michael says offhandedly, obviously voicing his thoughts.

Gardenia shakes her head. "You are a lucky guy…shiny Ralts?"

"Yeah, Lulu. I am currently training her." Michael says.

Gardenia smiles a bit. "Then I guess by breeding, you already had a Ralts before."

"Yeah, Mirage was amongst the first Pokemon I caught." Michael says as Gardenia remembered seeing a shiny Ralts.

Gardenia hums. "So you are somewhat unique. Hey, was the tiny shiny Ralts with a Riolu yours?"

"…where's Lulu?" Michael asks.

Gardenia raises an eyebrow. "With the Riolu. He's…yours…right?"

"…long story." Michael admits.

Gardenia hums. "I see. Well then, we better get the others and head to our haunted house."

"Lulu!" Michael calls running off worried.

"Hey! Wait up!" Gardenia yells running after him as they pass by Dawn and Zoey who quickly tries to catch up to them.

* * *

"Are you sure this will work?" Lulu asks looking out of the broken window as Jack sits nearby messing on his phone.

Jack chuckles almost evilly. "Oh yeah. This is going to be amazing and I'm going to capture it all. Teach them who's the baby now."

"Sound like someone needs a spanking again." Sneasel says.

Jack rolls his eyes. "Look, you want in or not? Because I can quickly play that video of you getting scared by a simple 'boo'." He said as they heard the ghosts snicker.

"Let's hope it isn't Michael…Lulu, why are you here?" Sneasel asks now worried.

Lulu looks to her. "Oh. Jack told me that I need to know what my mother looks like and he'll take care of the rest."

"What have you done…he is going…you have any idea how protective he can be of Eruption and Lulu?" Sneasel asks.

Jack hums. "Since Lulu has been breed, I can assume Michael is like a pseudo father, so…yeah."

"He's going to kill you." Sneasel says bluntly.

Jack shrugs. "If it gets me out of this world, all the more better. I would rather go out with a bang."

A smack was then heard and Jack felt his face sting. "Never talk like that again." Kabuto says.

Jack became shocked and looks up to her. "Did you…huh. Well, sorry Kabuto. But I just woke up in this world. If this is all a dream, then maybe me dying might get me out."

Kabuto smacks him again.

"Ow. Can you stop that?" Jack asks miffed as he rubs his cheek.

"You stop talking like that and I will." Kabuto says.

Jack raises an eyebrow. "Since when do you care that much about me?"

Kabuto raises her leg again.

"Okay. I'll stop." Jack said rolling his eyes.

"Good." Kabuto says before latching on again.

Jack sighs. "Any sign of them?" He asks looking to Lulu still watching out the window.

"Pyroar is coming." Lulu says.

Jack sits up and looks out and sees Pyroar with everyone else not far behind. "Alright, places everyone." He said waving to the ghost who quickly floated through the floor.

"Don't hurt yourself." Kabuto whispered.

Jack grins at that.

* * *

"Lulu!" Michael yells as everyone enters the lobby.

"Take it easy Michael." Zoey pleads as she tries to calm him down.

Michael huffs. "I swear, that Riolu was trouble from the start. And just when he started behaving, he pulls this. I may actually kill him one day. Today's the day maybe."

Zoey raises an eyebrow before hitting him upside the head. "That's a baby you're talking about."

"I don't care if he is an egg." Michael says scarring Zoey a bit as she had never seen Michael angry since she met him.

"Is this normal?" Gardenia asks leaning to Dawn.

Dawn shakes her head. "Not really." She said as they see him hurry up the stairs with Pyroar.

Michael frowns. "Come on. Find that stupid pup."

Pyroar sniffs around and blinks as she smelled him all over, not getting a trace of where he might be before trying to keep sniffing and comes to a door at the end of the hall. "Here huh?" Michael asks quickly opening it and stops.

Pyroar shakes her head as Michael was too angry to see reason as he looks and sees someone who isn't supposed to be here. "Mirage?" He asks stopping.

The Gardevoir stops looking at herself in the broken mirror before standing up and slowly goes over to a corner of the room where a bundle of blankets was that had some stuffed Pokemon in a pile.

"Mirage?" Michael asks again, raising an eyebrow.

Mirage slowly moves the stuffed Pokemon animals around to reveal a blue haired Ralts that he knew was supposed to be Lulu. However, he also noticed the stuffed Pokemon, were literally Pokemon as the pile was bleeding and covering Lulu in red.

"Mirage!" Michael calls angry now.

Mirage slowly turns around as he saw that her limbs slowly became longer and her dress was becoming more dirtied. Michael shakes his head and was about to turn to leave before the now changed Mirage showed her face as her eyes were a deep dark with white a pinpoint and sharp teeth as the horn in her chest was actually bleeding onto her.

Michael shakes his head more. "Pyroar! Flamethrower!" He calls and the image quickly went away as it showed only a broken down baby room.

Michael stops and looks around before huffing. "Unbelievable. Pyroar, this is an old mansion. Do you see a sword that is useable?" He asks crossing his arms and frowning.

"Michael, are you…he's going for a knife." Zoey says as he passes by them and into the kitchen.

Dawn facepalmed. "Does anyone know a good funeral parlor?"

"I got no choice." Sneasel says before using ice beam, freezing him.

Michael blinks as everyone seemed to watch him try to get out. "Huh. Maybe we should keep Sneasel out." Zoey said as the little ice Pokemon made sure he was trapped.

"Be grateful pup. She just saved your life. He was really going to kill you after that." Pyroar says unhappily.

Jack sighs as he jumps onto the table. "And the show's ruined. And my only chance to actually teach these guys." He said as a Hunter, Misdreavus, Gastly, and Gengar floated down through the ceiling.

"Man, I thought humans couldn't learn moves like rage." Gengar says.

Jack shrugs. "Trust me, buddy. It's more common with fathers and father types."

"So…we aren't going to pull the prank with the girls?" Misdreavus asks floating close to him.

Jack shakes his head. "Not really. Sorry pretty girl. Looks like you may need to work on your own. No more 'boo' in your face types. Okay?"

"Why do I need that? I just show them your face and they will be terrified." She said smirking.

Jack raises an eyebrow. "Seriously? That's your line? I must have a bad face for any girl to talk to me with. I'm surprised you are still talking to me."

Misdreavus just used lick to paralyze him.

Jack eeps as Kabuto seems to glare at her as Jack fell down. "Ow."

Zoey sighs and looks to Michael seeing to glare at Jack. "Where's Lulu?"

Kabuto points upward and Lulu gently floats down without no injury on her. "Hey, guys. It was almost fun…till Michael got frozen and ruined it all."

Jack groans as he got out of his paralyze and just sit up. "Okay. Guess I won't be having my fun anytime soon. Heck, show myself I'm not a baby."

"But you are…" Pyroar starts.

"Can a baby come up with that sadistic of an image and not bat an eye?" Jack asks looking to her with a slight glare. "Besides, I did record it." He said showing his phone. "However, it's probably my death certificate." He said before deleting it. "There. No more evidence." He said before tossing the phone to Lulu who catches it. "Now then, how about…oh, wait…" He said before grabbing Kabuto. "Had a whole idea for you too." He said before placing her on Lulu's head. "Like, all grown up and evolved, but more grotesque." Jack said almost smirking at the idea.

Kabuto blinks. "Grotesque?"

Jack nods. "Yeah. Long limbs. Big blades. Maybe not bloody. Too classy. More like flesh growing itself on it like a web. Oh and because you have a shell, part of it missing. Maybe having some of your brain exposed. No, wait, that's a zombie." He said almost shocking Pyroar he was coming up with that gruesome of an image.

"Maybe your own secondary arms reaching into yourself and grabbing and eating what you already ate." Jack thinks out loud. "Man. Now we'll never know. Considering our big victim just wanted to get mad at me and now kill me. I doubt I'm going to be living sometime soon. Best chance I got is being exiled. Back…to that mafia bear. I wonder if he's still ticked about me?" He thought out loud to himself.

"Jack?" Lulu asks.

"Or heck, quicker way is my head chopped off or my neck twisted. Maybe I'll finally wake up at my home again. Or maybe I'll just die. Either way, I'm free. I haven't been doing good since I came here anyways. I've just been tagging along and watching. Probably better if I leave." He mutters to himself.

"Jack?" Lulu calls more sternly.

Jack hums. "I wonder if my phone will follow?"

Lulu frowns and throws Kabuto at him who latches onto his head and knocks him off the table. "Ow. That hurts." He groans before being knocked out from the fall.

"He's…not joking…is he?" Pyroar asks, making sure he's still breathing.

"Not really. I checked his mind. What he was saying is true." Misdreavus said floating over to him as Kabuto moves and latches onto his head now. "It's amazing. He has the mind of such an old soul, but the body of a child and yet the foresight of a normal aged Lucario. This one is not normal at all. If I had to guess, I would say he is human." She said somewhat joking.

"Human? Please tell me you're joking." Sneasel said annoyed that she is starting to sound like Jack and his crazy talk.

Misdreavus shakes her head. "Not really. Who else could even help us with our scares? He did give us a whole lot of tips on what makes a good scare. Gone are the days of getting in the face. Now it's the day of watching from afar and playing tricks."

"Should we crack open the ice now?" Dawn asks tapping on the ice covering Michael.

Sneasel shakes her head and sits on the ice block.

Zoey sighs. "Well, this might take a while to cool down." She said before leaning down to the unconscious Jack. "Wonder what made him do this."

* * *

"Ok, been a few hours. Shall we thaw him?" Dawn asks looking at her Pokedex.

Sneasel taps the ice before nodding and Pyroar opens her mouth and starts to burn away the ice carefully starting with his head.

"This a common thing?" Gardenia ask.

Sneasel nods a bit as she helps chip away at some of the ice as the ice melts from his head and gets him moving slightly again.

Michael sighs as he starts to move carefully as the ice kept melting. "He is dead."

"Cool yourself." Zoey says patting his face.

"Very funny." Michael grumbles before looking around. "Where is he?"

"Out of your rage range." Zoey says.

Michael frowns. "Once I am out and he's right there, I will kill him."

"No. You will cool off and not hurt him." Zoey says lightly tapping his head with a rolled up magazine.

Michael growls under his breath at that point.

"That is right. Now just wait till you are free." Zoey says patting his head.

Michael now crosses his free arms as he glares at wherever he saw Jack last.

"Oh, he is pouting like a little kid." Dawn says smirking.

"Quiet." Michael growls as Kabuto grabs Jack and drags him away hiddenly.

'How are you dragging me?' Jack thinks in shock as the little pincers manage to move him.

Kabuto chitters to him and her eyes move to look at him before she continues on and still drags him away.

* * *

"You calm?" Gardenia asks.

"Yes…mostly." Micheal says looking a little angry still.

"Well, can you blame the little guy? He probably wanted to have his version of fun. No one was really hurt." Dawn said sitting next to him.

"Yes, I can." Michael says getting a smack from the magazine again. "Alright, I will drop it."

Dawn nods. "Good boy. Now let's find the little guy. He's either probably scared out of his mind of you…or waiting somewhere for us to leave and get his punishment."

"I noticed Kabuto drag him away." Gardenia comments.

"That's new." Zoey said raising an eyebrow. "That sounds like a better friend than what we give them credit for."

"So remind me, where are we heading to next?" Michael asks.

"Route 211 to Celestic City and then straight to Veilstone." Zoey said.

"Route 211. Route 211." Michael says trying to find it on a map.

Zoey points to it. "Right here. Should be a simple walk through a rocky trail."

"See? Like there, it travels over a river." Michael says.

"Maybe we can have fun. It's just a simple walking trail." Dawn said smiling.

"We should pack some supplies accordingly and camping supplies." Michael says.

"Thanks for volunteering." Gardenia says smirking.

"Dammit." Michael said slouching.

"Don't worry. You will do well." Zoey says patting his head.

"Just don't make me buy underwear." Michael said hiding behind the map and blushing.

"We won't." Zoey says giggling.

Michael groans as he covers his head with the map.

* * *

Jack sighs as he stretches and cracks his neck. "Where is he?" He asks out loud as he checks his tail. "And why do you guys have to see us off?" He asks to the ghosts floating by them.

"We were bored and it's not nice to not do so." The misdreavus said.

"Also that fire one might come and burn down our home if we didn't." Another ghost Pokemon adds.

"That's right. So be good." Pyroar said glaring at them.

"Yes, ma'am." They whimpered as they hide behind each other.

"Now are you ready to leave?" Sneasel asks beside Pyroar.

"Yeah. Can that guy hurry up?" Jack asks looking for him.

"You don't want to see him right now unless you want a spanking?" Sneasel asks making Jack pale.

"No. I'm fine." Jack said shaking his paws at her.

"That is what I thought." Sneasel says snickering.

Jack glares at her when he thought she wasn't looking.

"After we get resupplied with food in the next town, we will head out." Pyroar says before walking over and picking up Jack like a lioness does to her cubs.

"Wha…hey!" Jack yells trying to struggle. "Put me down!"

"See ya." Sneasel says waving as they walked away.

"Dang, you biOW!" Jack yells as Pyroar gives a hard bite.


	10. Hidden Desire

"Let's see. Canned food." Dawn says checking over what Michael got them for the trip to Celestic town.

"And some berries for the Pokemon and Pokemon food." Michael lists off.

"Check." Gardenia says looking over a checklist mostly filled out.

"Okay. That should be all." Michael said looking to the filled cart they had.

"Where is Zoey?" Dawn asks.

"Yeah. Where is…?" Michael asks.

"Right here." They hear and look behind them to see Zoey and stare wide-eyed at the sight of the large skirt and blouse she was wearing.

"Wha…?" Michael asks blinking confused.

"Happy Dawn?" Zoey growls.

Dawn chuckles deviously. "Oh yeah."

"This your next contest outfit?" Michael asks looking at her.

"Yes." Zoey said angrily.

"You look good." Michael comments.

Zoey stops and blushes, taken back by the compliment.

"See Zoey. Even Michael thinks you look good." Dawn saws as Gardenia was confused by the sight of twenty bags of trail mix in the cart.

"Where did the trial mix come from?" Gardenia asks scratching her head.

"Half of that is for Lulu." Michael explains.

"She likes it, huh?" Gardenia asks looking to him.

"She likes to eat constantly. Fast metabolism." Michael says.

"Well that explains a lot." Gardenia said blinking.

"Trust me. I am just happy she likes these." Michael says.

"And if she doesn't get them?" Gardenia asks chuckling.

"She starts to tear up and soon cries if she goes long enough without food. She is still young." Michael says.

"Well that's normal for kids. They will always cry for food." Gardenia said smiling.

"Ok, I will go check out the food then." Michael says.

"I'll take Zoey to the clothing part and her check out." Dawn says.

Gardenia looks between the two before taking the cart and follows Michael. "Wait for me."

"So?" Dawn asks.

Zoey glares to her. "So what?"

"He complimented you." Dawn says playfully.

Zoey groans. "It doesn't matter. I just want this over with."

"Admit it. You like him." Dawn says.

Zoey sighs. "Yes. I do. But I can't really bother him with it."

"Come on Zoey. You should talk to him about this." Dawn says.

"I really don't want to bother him with it." Zoey said frowning.

"Zoey." Dawn says as Zoey walks away.

* * *

"Alright, we head…which direction again?" Michael asks pointing on the map.

Dawn smiles and points to the route. "East. Let's go."

"Alright, lead the way." Michael says rolling up the map.

Dawn smiles as she leads Michael away down the street to the start of the route as everyone else follows behind. "She seems to like him very much." Gardenia said to Zoey.

Zoey didn't says anything as she glared slightly.

"Aren't you going to talk with them?" Gardenia asks looking to her.

"It's going to be a long walk. It's about a week or two walk across route 211." Zoey says.

"Ah. Waiting for the proper moment?" Gardenia asks.

Zoey blushes. "I…don't know."

"So tell me, you have known him way longer. What is he like so far?" Gardenia asks.

"Well…he's nice. He's very carefully with friends. He treats his Pokemon well. And…wait…" Zoey stops and glares at her.

"What?" Gardenia asks smiling.

Zoey huffs. "I'm not saying anymore." Zoey said blushing hard.

"Alright then, tell me about…you started telling us about the mining. What was that like?" Gardenia says.

"Small and cramped." Zoey said rolling her eyes.

"And what was Michael like?" Gardenia asks bringing back memories of Michael helping and showing her how to mine very close.

"He's able to hold up in the mine better than others. He even stayed through the night to find a fossil. We did get a new friend with that." Zoey said smiling at the memory.

"I see." Gardenia says smirking as she walked with her.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Zoey asks.

"Nothing." Gardenia said chuckling rushing ahead.

"What were you referring to?!" Zoey says quirking her stride to catch up with Gardenia.

"This is going to be a long trip." Jack said holding Kabuto in his arms.

* * *

"No wonder people prefer to loop around south. This terrain is tough." Michael says looking around.

"Probably explains why plans are in place for a simple tunnel." Dawn said walking past him.

"It's nearly dark and we should…" Michael stops and goes silent spotting a wild Shinx.

"Go ahead." Dawn said pushing him forward as she backs off.

'One shot.' Michael thinks pitching the pokeball at the small pokemon more than thirty feet.

The Shinx looks up right as the pokeball hits it in the head and was sucked in before it starts to shake and then the pokeball stops and its bursts out and the Shinx shakes itself before glaring at him and bares its fangs.

"Darn. Riolu, you want to try fighting this one?" Michael asks.

Jack sighs and puts Kabuto down before walking as the Shinx turns its attention toward him. "Boy or girl?" Jack suddenly asks.

"Sexist." A girl voice says.

Jack rubs his head. "Look, I'm just following these guys." Jack said pointing behind him before she launches herself at him and Jack goes wide-eyed before ducking under the bite she was trying to latch onto and reaches up and punched her into the stomach and sends her flying a bit. "Come on. I'm trying to be reasonable."

The shinx start to let off sparks, telling Jack she was about to start to shoot electricity.

Jack looks around like crazy before he felt a light bulb above his head. He then punches the ground hard and sends his paw in a bit up to the bone part on his arm and raises his other arm up before the shinx fires off a lightning bolt and hits his raised arm and Jack grits his teeth as the shock travels through his arms and part of his chest as it goes into the ground before it stops and he pulls his paw out and tries to catch his breath. "I need to really learn counters."

"Riolu, quick attack." Michael calls.

Jack glares at him as the Shinx comes at him with another bite he quickly moves to the side and kicks up and hits her in the stomach and sends her flying. "Got anything else?" Jack asks and immediately regretted that choice of words.

Shinx started emitting an electric aura again before launching more electric attacks before moving closer when he heard. "Close Combat." Jack, hearing that, starts throwing punches and kicks with more strength hitting Shinx sending her skidding. Before Jack could follow up, a pokeball flew and hit Shinx.

Jack watches as shinx was sucked in and then immediately beeps. Jack sighs and walks back to Kabuto and picks her up and holds her.

"He has gotten better." Michael says.

Dawn nods as she looks to Jack. "Yeah. Maybe we can train him easier now."

"Letting Zoey handle that. She has a way with him that I do not." Micheal says as the ball teleports away.

Jack rolls his eyes as Kabuto chitters to him happily. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever."

"I watched you kid, but it was sloppy." Sneasel says from a tree.

"Shut up." Jack said frowning.

"Shut up what?" Sneasel says.

"Ma'am." Jack said rolling his eyes.

"Good boy." Sneasel says as Pyroar came up looking for Jack.

Jack kept frowning. "Don't bother."

"Bath time pup." Pyroar says.

"No." Jack said huffing.

"Yes." Pyroar said picking him up by the scruff of his neck and carries him along to the resting trainers.

"Oh, you got your little one?" Gardenia says seeing this as Pyroar approached.

"We are back." Michael says before starting to make a campfire, letting them know they were done for the day as the sun sets.

"So what was that commotion?" Zoey asks starting to take out her tent as Pyroar starts licking Jack.

"A wild shinx. I had Jack test himself against it before catching it. He won, but barely." Michael says.

"Screw you." Jack grumbles.

Pyroar, hearing that, bopped him with a forepaw.

Jack sighs and pushes her paw away.

"Pyroar, you mind?" Michael asks finishing setting up.

Pyroar smirks and hits Jack over the head.

"Ow!"

"I meant the fire." Michael says.

Pyroar blinks and breathes a heavy flame onto the fireplace before stopping and goes to nuzzle Jack. "Ow."

"Thank you." Michael says before bringing out the pots.

Jack shakes his head as Pyroar finished cleaning him and let's him go.

"You girls ready to start cooking?" Michael asks.

"Might be good." Dawn said sitting down.

"What do we have?" Michael says as he and Dawn started talking about dinner as Zoey and Gardenia set up all the tents.

"So…talked with him yet?" Gardenia asks.

"You have been here the whole time. You know the answer." Zoey says.

"Then go now. It's a good time." Gardenia said chuckling.

"No, it isn't. Dawn is helping him make dinner." Zoey says.

"Then take him away and I'll help with the dinner." Gardenia said smiling.

"Bu…" Zoey was cut off by Gardenia's finger on her lips.

"No buts. Besides, we are done with the tents." Gardenia says.

Zoey blinks as Gardenia walks over to Dawn and Michael and sits down with them and starts to help cook before talking a bit and Michael gets up and walks back to Zoey. "So…?"

"I…um…" Zoey start to trail off.

"You wanted to go on a bit of a walk, didn't you?" Michael asks.

Zoey slowly nods.

Michael takes her and and they started walking through the forest as the sun started to set and listened to all the noises of the night.

"Michael…?" Zoey suddenly starts.

"Yes?" Michael answers.

Zoey looks to him out of the corner of eyes. "What do you think of me?"

"Can you be more specific?" Michael asks.

Zoey looks to him. "What do you think of me as any other person?"

"Well you are friendly, smart, creative, kind, caring, but firm and strict when you need to be." Michael says.

Zoey smiles. "And me personally up close? Like really close?"

"Well…I…" Michael trailed off until they heard the sounds of a battle not far away.

"Let's go." Zoey said rushing ahead.

Michael relieved about being interrupted and gladly followed where they came across a trainer with teal hair and amber eyes. At the moment they entered the area, they saw a Shinx using thunder fang on a Hoothoot before throwing it into a treat and the girl throwing a pokeball at the Hoothoot, capturing it.

"Yes!" The girl cheers.

Michael seeing this starts clapping as he leans on a tree.

The girl jumps a bit and looks toward them a bit scared before calming down. "You almost got me to call out an attack on you."

"So who are you?" Zoey asks.

"I'm Angie. Who are you?" She asks raising an eyebrow.

"Zoey, contest coordinator." Zoey greets.

"Michael. Trainer." Michael said smiling.

"What do you think Shinx?" Angie asks.

Shinx shrugs to himself as he sits down.

"So you alone?" Michael says.

Angie carefully nods. "Want to battle then?"

"Nah. Too late…we got a camp nearby if you want to join us." Michael offers after Zoey elbows his ribs lightly.

Angie raises an eyebrow at their behavior. "Um…sure."

"This way." Michael says starting to lead the way.

Zoey smirks to him as Angie and shinx start to follow.

"So we then went…Angie?" Dawn asks as Michael's group came back.

Angie became surprised. "Dawn? You're with them?"

"What are you doing here?" Dawn asks surprised.

"What are you doing here?" Angie asks.

"Traveling with them." Dawn said smiling. "What about you?"

"I'm on a journey mys…what is that?" Angie pulling out her pokedex and scans Pyroar.

"No data." The pokedex said as Michael took out his and scans Pyroar for her.

"Here." Michael said giving her his pokedex as Angie was surprised at how much better it looked and felt as the pokedex started reciting the entry.

"Pyroar, the fire Pokemon. With fiery breath of more than 10,000 degrees fahrenheit, they viciously threaten any challenger. The females protect the pride's cubs." The pokedex recites as Angie looks up at Pyroar as she yawns and rests on her paws.

"Kalos pokemon." Michael informs.

"I was surprised too." Zoey said as Angie starts to flip through his pokedex entries to see what else he got.

"Oh, so cute!" Angie exclaims seeing fennekin's information and picture.

Michael leans over to see what she is gushing about. "Oh. That's a starter actually. You can get that when you start the Kalos region."

"That your first pokemon?" Dawn ask looking over Angie's shoulder.

"Yeah. She was my starter pokemon, but sneasel was my first." Michael says.

Sneasel smiles and looks proud at that.

"How many pokemon does your pokedex have information on?" Gardenia asks.

"Seven hundred and twenty-one." Michael answers.

"You have to be kidding." Gardenia said surprised.

"Nope." Michael says walking over to Pyroar and lays against her.

"Um…what are you doing?" Zoey asks walking over to him.

"Getting ready to sleep." Michael says reaching over and petting Pyroar, careful to avoid her mane.

Zoey stares at him before sighing and goes to her own tent. "Might as well." She said crawling in.

"But we just got dinner ready." Dawn says starting to feel drowsy suddenly.

"Pack it up for tomorrow's breakfast." Michael said yawning as Angie lays down next to Pyroar on her other side and lays her head there.

Gardenia didn't say anything as she was already asleep.

Dawn yawns before dousing the fire and trying to pack the food away. "Might as…might as…I'll get it tomorrow morning." She said laying down on her side and starts to sleep as everyone else starts to either snore or drift off.

In the sky above them, a swan like creature flew across the moon's position.


	11. Deep Needs

"Stupid assholes!" Jack yells to the flying Pidgeys as they fly by him. "Watch where you flying!" He calls to them.

The Pidgeys didn't respond as they kept flying.

Jack sighs as keeps walking on as he looks around the empty city. "Where is everyone?" He asks himself as he sees no people and only the rare sighting of any Pokemon as he kicks a loose rock and sends it flying into a nearby park. "Jerks. I got stuck here and now I'm stuck with them. Just for my own safety. At least I'm not with the kid. She sucked."

His ears perks up as he stops in his tracks and slowly looks over to the park and sees the large trees shaking before a large blue clawed hand came up and pushes a tree out of the way as the large form rises up. "Crap." Jack drones out as he starts backing up.

"Hey. Come on and play with us." A voice says before Jack was hit with a beach ball.

Jack rubs his head as he looks to the ball and then where it came from and sees some of Michael's Pokemon on a beach as they wave at him.

Jack blinks as he picks up the ball and throws it back at them before hearing a tree crash and looks to see a large red and blue Pokemon coming from the park and starts to run toward the beach before seeing he sees it gone. "Shoot!" He yells running down the street.

He hears a roar behind him and picks up a loose rock and throws it behind him. "Get away jackass!" He yells over his shoulder.

The pokemon roared and charged.

Jack keeps running before blinking. "Wait. What am I doing?" He asks himself stopping before turning and runs at the large dragon like Pokemon and tries to hit it and stops as he hits the leg. "Ow!" Jack yells holding his paw.

The dragon pokemon finished charging and used hyper beam on the buildings.

Jack groans in pain as he watches the dragon starts to destroy the city and frowns. "Hey! Jackass!" He tried to call.

"What are you doing Riolu? Don't let him push you around." Zoey says.

Jack looks around and sees her sitting at a cafe. "Zoey? What are doing just sitting around?" He asks before realizing she won't understand him.

"You can beat him. Just believe in yourself." Zoey instructs.

Jack blinks and looks to her surprised. "Well that's stupid." He said before the ground exploded beside him and sends him flying as he looks to see the dragon roar and frowns as he hits the ground. "Ow." He said sitting up.

Jack huffs as he tries to get back up as the dragon swipes a building down and groans. "Okay then." He said trying to run at it and reels back a paw and punches it and it kept hitting the buildings as if nothing phased it.

Jack groans out loud and remembers how he fought the shinx before looking around and looks to see the red spikes on it and frowns as he prepares to jump and reaches for a spike before starting to run and climb the spikes as he tries to reach the head.

"These guys can do some moves." Jack said to himself as he kept climbing before reaching the head and jumps a bit as he holds up both his paws and it starts to glow as a bright white energy grows from his paws before he slams the energy down onto the head with a loud smack as it forms into a bone staff.

Jack lifts the staff again as he lands on the head and smacks the head before jumping and swinging the staff around and hits the dragon on the side of the head and sends it away into a building as he lands onto the ground.

"That is right. Want some more?" Jack asks landing on top of a building.

The dragon growls heavily as it pulls its head out of the build and breathes out a puff of fire before it charges at him and Jack frowns as he hefts the staff over his shoulder like a bat and jumps off the building as the dragon kept charging before it gets close enough and hits it in the muzzle as he lands on the ground.

"How do you like that asshole?!" Jack yells as he holds the staff against his arm behind him as he didn't notice he became a lucario at that moment.

* * *

Zoey yawns as she got finished winning another grand festival and stretches.

"Great job." Michael said as she walks back down the hall toward him.

"Thanks." Zoey taking a towel he offered and finds there was a rose in it.

Michael smiles. "How do you feel?"

"I feel good." Zoey says examining the rose before smiling at Michael.

"I thought a good winner should feel the true love rather than fan love." Michael said chuckling.

"Michael." Zoey says smiling as she shook her head before kissing his cheek.

Michael smiles and grabs her hands and holds them. "The contest is over. Might as well have some free time and fill it with us."

"I would like that." Zoey says leaning on him.

Michael chuckles in her ear as he hugs her. "Then I know a few good places. Come on."

* * *

"It shouldn't be much further." Michael says to Dawn as they hike up a mountain path.

"Have you noticed that Riolu is quieter?" Dawn asks looking to him.

"He is resting." Michael says before Dawn saw it, a crystal clear waterfall and river.

"Well…" Dawn said as she tries to find her words.

"Dawn, come on. I have a spot already prepared." Michael says waving her over.

Dawn smiles and hurries over as she comes to the edge of the river near the waterfall as Michael sets up a fire. "Want to go swimming?" She asks looking to him.

"With you, I would be up for anything." Michael says getting up.

Dawn smiles as she starts to undress down to her swimwear. "Then I hope you have swim trunks."

"I am always prepared." Michael says starting to tickle her exposed stomach.

Dawn giggles and tries to move away. "Stop that!" She laughs trying to push away his hands as she kept undressing.

"Come on. I can have fun with my girlfriend." Michael says.

Dawn blushed heavily as she jumps away a bit and playfully glares at him. "You better stop that."

"And if I don't?" Michael asks smirking, approaching her.

Dawn smiles as she kept backing up. "Well…" She pauses as she grabs onto a tie on her swimwear. "Guess."

"I think we are going to have fun." Michael says.

* * *

"Oh. You are so cute and beautiful." Gardenia said giving a nuzzle to the little Turtwig.

"And what am I, chopped liver?" Michael asks.

Gardenia giggles and holds the Turtwig in her arms as she turns to him. "What do you think? Seems me?"

"I think you pay more attention to Trevenant than me." Michael says.

Gardenia shrugs. "So…will you miss me as soon as I need to head back to my gym?"

"Maybe I will follow you home." Michael teases.

Gardenia blushes a bit. "Oh come now. You have to finish the league."

"Maybe one day, but I may have a more pressing concern." Michael says looking away blushing.

"What's that?" Gardenia asks leaning closer.

"It's more of a she." Michael says before Gardenia wraps her arms around him.

Gardenia smiles and holds him close. "You want this?"

"Maybe." Michael says.

Gardenia leans her head close and kisses his cheek. "Sweetie."

* * *

"So you wanted me to show you my kalos pokemon." Michael says throwing a few pokeballs and out came a Fennekin, Helioptile, and Esper for Angie.

Angie smiles widely and goes to Fennekin and hugs it. "So cute!"

"Glad you are happy." Michael says.

Angie giggles and looks to him. "You are definitely the best friend." She said standing up as she kept hugging Fennekin. "Such a cute Pokemon." She said nuzzling it and making it laugh. "So how tough it is?"

"Fennekin is usually fast and strong on her special attack and defence." Michael informs.

Angie grins and turns to the Esper and Helioptile. "And these guys?"

"Esper is a psychic type." Michael says walking over to her.

Angie hums and looks at Helioptile closely as she puts Fennekin down. "And this guy?"

"Helioptile is an eclectic and normal type." Michael says as Helioptile starts getting chased by the other two pokemon.

Angie nods and stands back up as she watches the three run around. "They still seem young."

"They are…so Angie…tell me more about yourself." Michael says.

Angie hums. "Not much to tell. I'm just a trainer."

"Of course there is. After all, you are also cute and tough." Michael says.

Angie blushed and frowned playfully to him. "Really?"

"Really." Michael says.

Angie chuckles. "Well there still isn't much. You won't find anything good if you look for it."

"Oh, I don't see that." Michael says lifting her chin.

"Wait…isn't this a bit too soon? I mean we just met." Angie says franticly.

* * *

Michael looks around suspiciously as his pokemon and his traveling companions played at the beach in the moonlight. The only problem is he couldn't remember how he had gotten here.

"Something wrong?" Zoey asks walking up to him in her swimsuit with swim trunks.

"Ok, what is controlling this?" Michael says seeing Lulu using a move.

"I'm sorry. Not up to par?" A female voice asks behind him.

"You slipped up. I have planned to teach Lulu Magical Leaf, but I haven't trained her to the point where she can use it so casually with no trouble." Michael says, his calculating mind going full steam.

"Damn! Should have through gone through your mind and your Pokemon's more." She said as he hears a tree fly by and hits the mountain nearby.

"So who are…" Michael freezes as he turned around and saw a swan like pokemon.

"Yes, I get that a lot." She said getting a thinking pose. "You know, the others in your group are enjoying theirs, especially the girls."

"So I get to meet a new legendary pokemon huh?" Michael asks.

"Well you all seem to be quite hidden with yourself. I would rather give you the happiness you all want." She said rolling her eyes.

"Check my memories once more." Michael says.

She raises an eyebrow at that and quickly takes a look before coming back out just as quickly. "Impossible."

"I have crossed many paths in my short life." Michael says as she sees the outline of an avian like pokemon behind him.

"Well you need to be careful." She warns.

"Now where is the fun in that?" Michael says as the legendary pokemon disappeared.

* * *

Michael yawns as he awakens.

He then hears a loud yelp. "Zoey!" Dawn yells from her log bed.

'Cresselia huh?' Michael thinks taking out something and drawing something.

"I didn't do crap!" Zoey yells back putting her head outside.

"I see you two are awake." Michael says looking back to Jack who was sleeping in Pyroar's paws.

Jack twitches as he waves his paws. "Aura sphere." He said in his sleep.

"So what dreams did you two have?" Michael says coming into Dawn and Zoey's field of vision.

Dawn blushed heavily as she covers herself slightly while Zoey just blushes and they both look away.

"Any chance either of you see this?" Michael says showing them a somewhat crude drawing of Cresselia.

They look and shakes their head at that.

"Seen it in mine. Let's see." Michael says and head over to the sleeping Pyroar and Angie and retrieves his pokedex to trying find a match.

"Cresselia, the Lunar Pokémon. Shining particles are released from Cresselia's wings like a veil, and it is said to represent the crescent moon. Those who sleep holding Cresselia's feather are assured of joyful dreams. It is said to represent the crescent moon." The pokedex recites.

"A legendary pokemon huh?" Michael says giving them a discreet hint.

"No way." Zoey said getting out of her tent and stretches.

"You think we had our dreams manipulated?" Gardenia asks getting out of her tent.

"Maybe." Michael said sighing.

"That explains all the unbelievable stuff." Gardenia said smirking as she looks to Zoey and Dawn. "Had fun in yours…Dawn. You are a dirty girl." She said snickering.

"I am confused now." Michael says.

Gardenia waves him off. "You won't get it. So…how was your dream?"

"On the beach, at night, with all of you." Michael says.

"Aw. Cute." Gardenia said chuckling.

"So…" Michael stops as two stomachs sounded off.

Both Zoey and Dawn look to their stomachs before covering them and blushes in embarrassment. "I think I packed up enough food." Dawn said trying to find it.

"You cooked stuff that we never ate." Michael says as a huge gust of wind blew through. Whether if it was natural from the mountainous area they were in or by a pokemon's attack, they couldn't tell. The one thing they could tell was what they saw.

"Gardenia." Zoey said shocked as Gardenia hurries to push her cloak down and tries to cover her breasts as she blushes hard.

"You took off your undershirt?" Michael says blushing hard.

"It's itchy when I sleep!" Gardenia tries to defend as Dawn gulps and blushes beet red.

"Can you go put it on while we get the food heated back up so that doesn't happen again?" Zoey asks.

Gardenia growls to herself as she quickly heads back to her tent and tries to find her undershirt.

"Does she wear a bra?" Dawn asks.

"Nope." Zoey said trying to forget that moment.

"Should I try waking up Pyroar?" Michael asks.

"Or maybe let her and the baby sleep?" Zoey suggest pointing to Jack in her paws.

"Old fashioned way it is." Dawn says.

* * *

"So you are saying it could have been manipulated by Cresselia?" Angie asks now wide awake and eating.

"Yes and it could have made our dreams have anything. If it was a Darkrai, it would have been even wrong things." Michael said.

"Yikes." Dawn says remembering Tobias from the Lily of the Valley Conference.

"At least it passed." Zoey said happily.

"Still we got to be in the presence in a legendary pokemon." Angie says disappointed she didn't get to see it.

"I'm sure you saw her out in the corner of your eye." Michael reassures.

"Thanks." Angie says blushing a bit.

"So where are you heading?" Michael asks.

"Down east. Might as well see how much my pokemon's power to test it out."

"We are heading in that direction as well. How about you join us Angie?" Dawn asks.

Angie smiles. "Sure. Could be fun."

"So what did you dream about?" Dawn asks.

Angie blinks and stops. "Um…can't remember."

"Yes, you do." Dawn says smirking as Shinx looks up to Pyroar in amazement.

Angie starts to blush. "I don't…really remember."

Pyroar bends down and boops Shinx's nose with her own.

Shinx smiles and boops his nose back.

"Seems the two lion pokemon are hitting it off." Michael says.

"And how." Angie said chuckling.

"Well we best head out." Michael says getting out and returning his pokemon to their pokeball.

"Yeah, it's going to be a long walk." Dawn said checking her backpack.

"We got another week at least. Lets hope it doesn't end up like last time we went underground." Zoey says as they get up.

"Underground?" Both Gardenia and Angie asks.

"We were stuck taking underground tunnels to avoid getting run over on route 206." Michael explains making Jack groan remembering it.

"Fucking hated that cave." Jack said remembering the aching paws from digging.

* * *

"Was that as bad as 206?" Dawn asks tired as they emerge from the path through Coronet onto the eastern half of route 211.

"We need a water system down there." Jack said trying to hang onto something.

"It wasn't as bad. Still bad though." Zoey says as they all take a drink from their canteens.

"So where to now?" Gardenia asks panting as she kept drinking.

"Someone check the map for me while I rest." Michael says laying down.

Dawn takes out the map on her pokenav and reads it over. "Just keep heading east. That should take us to the next town."

"Celestic Town." Angie says patting Michael's head, seeming not as affected as the rest of them from the week underground.

"How the heck are you like that?" Zoey asks miffed at her.

"Well dad took me on cross country hikes like this all the time when I was a little kid." Angie explains.

"Well that explains a lot." Michael said trying to rest in the shade.

"Let's see…who ever is shining a mirror onto the map please stop." Dawn says.

"No one is doing that Dawn." Zoey says making Dawn whirl around and see a Bronzor floating there inches away from her.

"A Bronzor!" Michael calls trying to raise up but his back aching from the nights sleeping on rocks sent a surge of pain through him from the movement. "Quickly someone, fire type." Michael says holding his back before Angie forced him back down.

"Quilava!" Dawn yell throwing out a pokeball.

"Quil." Quilava snorts as he gets into a battle stance as he glares down the Bronzor.

"Quick Quilava, flame wheel!" Dawn calls making Quilava charge forward, covered in flames.

Bronzor glares at him as he kept coming and moves upward before Quilava jumps up while still spinning and hits home straight in the middle of the plate as it weakly groans.

"Now flamethrower." Dawn calls and Quilava puffs up his mouth and then shoots out a stream of flames that hit it dead on while it was in a daze and then sends it to the ground knocked out. "Now let's go." Dawn calls throwing her pokeball and sucks the Bronzor in and it shakes a bit before it beeps and then disappears.

"Alright!" Dawn cheers as Zoey whistled.

"Dawn, you really improved your battling skills." Zoey compliments.

"Well I had to after dealing with the Hoenn region." Dawn said smiling.

"So that is where you were last year." Zoey says.

Dawn shrugs. "Ash gave me plenty of ways after his journey was over here."

"I see. You win big?" Zoey asks.

"Unfortunately, I made it to their grand festival and lost in it." Dawn says.

"Sorry about that." Zoey said.

"It's ok. Is Michael ok?" Dawn asks.

They look over to see Michael resting against a tree with his eyes closed. "Yeah. Probably just sleeping." Gardenia said looking him over.

"Should we follow his example?" Angie asks snickering.

"Maybe. Seems the town is just over the next bend." Dawn said looking at the map. "Let's just take an hour or so." She said moving over to his tree and sits beside him.

"Just don't do anything questionable or naughty." Gardenia says joking.

"We are sleeping. What's the harm in that?" Zoey asks sitting on the other side and lays her head back to rest up.

"Reaching over and grabbing him." Gardenia teases as she sits on the last spot behind them.

"Make some room." Angie said trying to squeeze through gardenia and Dawn and sighs in relief. "We need this so much. I wouldn't mind catching a few z's here."

"Snea." Sneasel says as Jack was downing Michael's canteen's contents.

Jack sighs in relief as he looks to them all. "At least we are out of there." He said to himself as he puts the canteen away.

"Don't go far." Sneasel instructs.

Jack rolls his eyes as he rested against a bush. "We all need sleep." He mutters to himself.


	12. New Helper

"Finally here." Michael says as they all rested in a pokemon center.

Zoey sighs as she wipes off the sweat. "Yep. At least we are in an air conditioned room again."

"Hey, what are they saying on the news?" Angie asks as Joy turns up the tv.

"We are here live in Kalos where professor Augustine Sycamore is about to make an official announcement about his research to the entire world." A reporter says.

Hearing that, Michael immediately turns his attention to the tv as the Professor starts talking.

"Thank you all for your time. Now I am here to address certain rumors that have been flying around as well." Professor Sycamore says.

"Wonder this is about?" Jack asks jumping up onto the couch and sits by them.

The professor started talking about something that Jack couldn't really understand and kept going on about it until he brings out a Charizard wearing some sort of accessory and a trainer. "Now for a demonstration of what I have been saying." The professor says and the trainer touches a jewel on his wristband and it lights up with the jewel on Charizard, sending out four energy double helixes from both that counted and the Charizard started glowing a rainbow of colors as it changed. The Charizard gained a few more spiked like areas on it's tail and head, while to mini wings grew on the side of it's arms and its wings took a little more rugged and tough appearance.

"Oh crappppppppp…" Jack groans as he stares at the broadcast. "I'm in that season…aren't I?"

"This is what we refer to as mega evolution here in Kalos and now we are ready to share it with the world!" Professor Sycamore says before the press bombards him with questions as many people were not watching intently as if it was a pokemon battle to decide the champion of the region.

Jack immediately jumps off the couch and hurries over to the nearest computer and jumps into the seat. "Okay…I can figure this out." He says to himself as he starts hitting what he can and tries to search up the professor's research. "I know there were rumours about Lucarios being able to do this."

"What are you up to little one?" Chansey asks walking up.

"Trying to find about a professor's research on mega evolution. I think you can as well." He said as reads through the links. "Geez, this is worse than mine."

"Come on no need to be concerned about that." Chansey says picking him up and offering him a cookie which for some reason he really wanted after seeing it.

Jack stares at the cookie before sideways looking to the screen and goes wide-eyed and reaches over and quickly clicks on the link. "Found mine." Jack cheerfully said as he sees the mega evolution of lucario. "Wow. This one looks cool." He said before snatching the cookie without looking and starts to bite into it.

"Come on little one. It is nap time." Chansy says carrying him away from the picture of mega Blaziken.

"Don't bother. I just came from a cave system and rested when we came out." Jack said rolling his eyes.

"Nap. Time." Chansy repeats putting him down for a nap and Jack feels tired all of a sudden.

Jack groans as he tries to stay awake. "What did you place in that cookie?" He asks drowsy.

"Chocolate chip." Chansy says wrapping him in a blanket.

"No. Sedative for kids." Jack said closing his eyes and starts to snore.

"Sleep tight." Chansy says walking off to do other duties.

"So meowth is out of the bag." Michael says.

"So do you all get what this means?" Gardenia asks.

"I competed in Kalos for several years. In fact, one of my gym battles, the gym leader used a mega evolved pokemon." Michael says.

"Which one?" Zoey asks looking to him.

"The Shalour Gym. I wouldn't recommend challenging it unless you know how to rollerblade though. It's basically a huge pipeline until you get to the center where the gym leader is." Michael says before a few trainers run past.

"What's going on?" Dawn asks getting up and following them.

"Cynthia is in town and nearby." A trainer says.

Dawn rushes off at that as Zoey follows her as Michael just became confused. "Who?" Michael asks trying to see from where he was.

"The Sinnoh league Champion. You didn't know that?" Angie asks as Gardenia got up at a more relaxed pace.

"No." Michael says trying to hide he was lying.

"Really? None of the champions?" Angie asks raising an eyebrow.

"I didn't look up your champion before coming." Michael lies as he sweat drops.

"Well you need a rundown before starting a region, every time." Gardenia warns.

"I wanted to be surprised." Michael says.

"You're doing a poor job of it." Gardenia said rolling her eyes.

Michael chuckles nervously as Angie pulls him along to go see the champion which is in truth, the last thing he wanted to do.

"Trainers." Gardenia said shaking her head as she follows them.

"Hey Cynthia." Dawn greets running up.

Cynthia blinks and looks over and smiles. "Ah. Dawn. It is good to see an old friend." She said as she grabs another paper and writes down another autograph. "How are you?"

"I'm doing fine. I got back to Sinnoh not too long ago from Hoenn." Dawn says.

"Well that's good. And your friend…oh wait, I know you. Zoey, the Top Coordinator who won the grand festival two years ago." Cynthia says looking to Zoey.

Zoey smiles. "That's me. Thanks for remembering."

"I have the information hammered into me by my agent much to my annoyance. So you two traveling together now." Cynthia says.

Dawn nods. "Yeah. We just met up and decided to. It's been a fun few months."

"Besides the underground part." Zoey says as Angie drags up Michael.

"You telling her what happened?" Angie asks as Michael tries to cover his face.

"What is wrong with Michael?" Zoey asks confused.

"Michael?" Cynthia asks looking to him carefully.

"I really need to see to my pokemon. I really don't have time for this." Michael says trying to get away.

"Where are you going?" Zoey asks grabbing his arm and holding him there.

"Back to the pokemon center." Michael offers.

"Well. I never expected to meet Kalos's youngest champion ever." Cynthia says smirking.

"Well I never expected to meet this region's champion either." Michael tries to play off innocently.

"Wait, what?" Zoey asks.

"Yeah…I don't know this region's champion, so…there she is. Nice to meet you." Michael said nervously.

"You mean you didn't know you were traveling with a former champion of a league?" Cynthia asks.

"None at all." Zoey said crossing her arms and frowning at him.

"I'm just a normal trainer now." Michael reminds.

"Right then, how about a battle? We have a event that I am scheduled to do an exhibition match to kick it off, but Marshal of the Unova's elite four has been delayed and won't make it. So how about it?" Cynthia asks.

Michael groans as he facepalmed. "Might as well. I need to trade some Pokemon first." He said going back to the center.

The news of this sent ripples through the crowd as many were talking about their champion and another champion level trainer battling. Angie looked in shock, not believing Michael was actually a former champion of a league.

"I don't believe this." Dawn said in disbelief.

"I am going to have to have a talk with him." Zoey says.

"I figured he had to have some experience like that." Gardenia says before greeting Cynthia.

* * *

"So with the announcement, the ban on me trading for any of my pokemon that can mega evolve or mega evolving any new pokemon I get is now void, right?" Michael asks talking to a lab worker.

"That's correct. You can now trade freely to other regions." He said smiling.

"Got it. Send me the three I have chosen." Michael says putting in Kabuto, Archen, and Pyroar's pokeballs into the transporter.

The lab worker nods and starts up the exchange. "Okay…that should do it." He said as the three poke balls disappeared and were replaced with three others. "Good luck."

"Thanks." Michael says taking them. "Ok guys, let's go." Michael says as Sneasel carries Jack along as they walk.

"Would you stop carrying me?" Jack asks frowning.

"You are still groggy." Sneasel says.

"I am not that sleepy." Jack rebukes.

"Someone is cranky." Sneasel teases as they met Zoey on the way out.

"Explain." Zoey said frowning as she crosses her arms.

"I left being a champion behind me when I left Kalos." Michael says offering to walk and talk.

Zoey shakes her head as she follows. "You should have told me."

"I didn't want to remember being one. It…it just wasn't me." Michael says.

"So that what you meant. You reached the top, but found no more real challenges there." Zoey says.

"I guess I did. For a while, my passion for even battling started to flicker and all my opponents I either memorized all their mannerisms and knew what they were up to or were so much weaker than me. They didn't last long." Michael says.

"So then you were just looking for another battle and nothing else." Zoey said huffing.

"I was looking to start over like how I started my pokemon journey…" Michael says before pausing and then laughs.

"What is it?" Zoey asks looking to him as she slightly glares.

"I just remembered how I started my pokemon journey. Tell me, when you start a journey, don't you receive a pokemon from an official of the pokemon league?" Michael asks.

"Yes…why?" Zoey asks rolling her eyes.

"Well my journey started a little differently. I had just moved to Kalos as a ten year old with my mom and our pokemon Ryhorn, Fletchling, and Sneasel. Well, while looking around the other kids of the neighborhood, they kind of drafted me into helping them test out the new pokedex and gave me Fennekin. Then one thing lead to another and the professor you saw doing the world announcement of mega evolution talked me into going on a trainer journey. He then gave me my first Charmander, aka Eruptions' father." Michael explains.

Zoey stares at him as she listen to his story.

"Kind of an unusual start, right?" Michael asks.

"Yes." Zoey simply said.

"Sorry about not telling you about what I was before. Like I said, I wanted to forget." Michael says.

"Don't screw up next time." Zoey warns.

"I won't. We still…" Michael starts but trails off on the question.

Zoey huffs as she looks away.

"Girlfriend?" Michael manages to ask at the end with Sneasel prodding him.

Zoey stops and looks shocked at him.

Michael said nothing as he increased his pace.

"She needs to forgive and fast or she's going to lose him." Jack said leaning his head on his paws.

"Your lucky I feel the same." Zoey says lightly tapping his head.

Michael gives a small smile as they see a crowd up ahead around a large field. "Good."

"You ready for your stadium battle?" Zoey asks.

"Yeah. My three choices haven't had a good battle in a while." Michael says walking up as the crowd cleared for them on their way to the stadium entrance they were crowding.

"At least it won't be a total bore." Jack grumbles to himself.

Sneasel just bonks his head as Zoey and her climb into the closest seats next to Angie, Dawn, and Gardenia.

"Good afternoon everyone. Welcome to the creation junior cup." A announcer says on stage between the statues of Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina. Hearing this, the crowd cheered loudly.

"Get on with it." Jack groans rolling his eyes.

"Now before we start off, there has been a change in the line up. Marshal of the Unova's elite four unfortunately was unable to make it, but don't be disappointed yet. For our champion, Cynthia, has found us a replacement." The announcer says as the spotlights focused on Cynthia.

"Hello all. So I know you would love to see an electric and champion battle, but you would have to settle for a champion on champion battle. So here's the former Kalos region champion and youngest one in their history." Cynthia calls pointing to Michael at the other side of the field.

Michael waves slightly as many still cheered, but most were confused by his appearance. Michael sighs and takes out a pokeball. "Let's get this over with." He said tossing the ball up and down.

"This will be three on three battle with a time limit of fifteen minutes. Both trainers will be allowed to switch pokemon at their choice. Begin!" The ref calls after the announcer vacated the arena.

"Alright Glaceon, let's go!" Cynthia calls throwing out her own pokeball and it opens to the ice type who thrills at the prospect of a battle.

"Hot cat." Jack quips and then yells out as a layer of ice covered his face with Glaceon smirking.

"A glaceon huh. Then your up Talonflame!" Michael calls throwing the pokeball and out came a falcon like pokemon.

"Since when did you guys tell about his other Pokemon? That might have been good to know." Jack suddenly asks as he looks up to Sneasel.

Seeing an unknown pokemon, all the trainers pull out their pokedex and try to learn more about it.

A chorus of 'No Data' sounded out throughout the stadium as Cynthia smiles and pulls out her own and scans for them. "Talonflame, the Scorching Pokémon and the evolved form of Fletchinder. During an intense battle, Talonflame expels embers from gaps between its feathers. It reaches speeds of more than three-hundred miles per hour chasing prey." Played over the speakers

"Better guys?" Cynthia asks smirking as they look to their own pokedexes.

"Talonflame, Flame Charge." Michael instructs and Talonflame becomes outlined in red flames and charges forward at incredible speed.

"Ice breath…down." Cynthia said simply.

Glaceon was in the middle of using the move when Talonflame simply vanished, making it hesitate in surprise before being hit with a fire attack.

Cynthia stares at Michael as she didn't hear anything from him. "No wonder. You start off with a move and they work off a list of them on their own." She said smirking.

"You misunderstand." Michael says as purple flames appear around Glaceon and then slams into her.

"Okay then. Cool yourself down." She calls and the field becomes colder as show starts to fly around them.

"Talonflame, here comes a blizzard!" Michael calls before Glaceon got hit twice from strikes to it from multiple sides.

Cynthia raises an eyebrow as she watches. 'Fast. Quick on its wings, but…'

'Geez, just take out the air and the bird would fall.' Jack thinks.

'The longer this lasts, the more damage Talonflame takes. Talonflame can't last in drawn out battles…' Michael stops his train of thought seeing Cynthia's smirk. 'She has figured it out.' Michael thinks before calling out. "Talonflame, point blank!" In a split second Talonflame appears in front of Glaceon glowing red.

"Glaceon return!" Cynthia calls recalling Glaceon before Talonflame unleashed an extremely powerful blast of orange-yellow fire, hitting nothing.

'Clever Cynthia. You had already guessed that Talonflame doesn't have the stamina for extended battles at that high speeds and recalled your Glaceon to battle later. We are now behind.' Michael thinks before smirking as he hears his heart start beating faster and feeling a rush. "Talonflame return." Michael says returning his panting pokemon.

Cynthia smiles as she takes out another pokeball. "Alright then, moving on. Show yourself Milotic!" She yells as she throws the ball and out comes the water snake like Pokemon who sings a note as it steels itself.

"Wonder if it's old?" Jack asks himself and gets a water blast to his face as Milotic smirks to herself.

"Oh, you brought out the beauty. Then I will bring out the tyrant of the ancient world. Show yourself Tyrantrum!" Michael calls throwing his pokeball and out of it came a huge T-Rex like pokemon towering over its opponent.

"You're big." Milotic said looking upward.

"I pride myself." Tyrantrum said with a rough voice.

"Fought bigger." Milotic said smirking.

Cynthia raises an eyebrow as she hears the pokedexes in the stadium sound out with 'No Data'. She then holds up her own and scans it. "Tyrantrum, the Despot Pokémon. Thanks to its gargantuan jaws, which could shred thick metal plates as if they were paper, it was invincible in the ancient world it once inhabited."

"Average size is eight feet?!" Cynthia calls as this one was no way just eight feet tall.

"And fat." Milotic calls almost laughing as she points her tail at the large Pokemon's stomach.

Tyrantrum say nothing and just stomps his foot and the entire arena shakes, making everyone think he just used earthquake.

Milotic blinks as she was lifted in the air before coming back down. "Huh."

"Ahhhhh!" Jack yells as he falls over and lands on the ground. "Why am I being targeted?" He groans as he lays on the ground before seeing everyone else had been hit by that.

"I believe you are first Cynthia." Michael offers.

Cynthia was shocked at the ancient pokemon and made no move to attack.

"Very well. Stealth rock!" Michael calls and Tyrantrum stomps again but nothing visible happens.

Milotic frowns as she moves her tail slightly. "Not again. She gets like this when you guys blow the stats out of the water." She said miffed before Cynthia snaps out of it, knowing what they just did.

"Milotic, quickly use Hydro Pump!" Cynthia calls.

Milotic puffs up her cheeks before blowing water at the large Pokemon who just turns to the side and let's the side of body take the hit as it barely phased him. Milotic, seeing this, was in disbelief.

"Head smash!" Michael calls and Tyrantrum charged forward at her.

"Milotic, attract…oh and move to the side." Cynthia said.

"Too late!" Michael says as Tyrantrum was barreling at Milotic like a bullet train.

"Slither!" Cynthia calls and Milotic lays down completely and slithers like a snake across the ground at him as he kept charging.

Tyrantrum kept charging even though he missed, heading for the crowd, making many go white with fear. "Don't worry the barrier will keep us safe." The announcer reminds as many braced for the impact.

"That's not going to work." Jack said before Tyrantrum hits the barrier and shines out a light blue all over before they hear sparks coming from near the announcer as he covers himself before Tyrantrum pulls his head away and the barrier stops shining. "But not another hit. The capacitors are probably overloaded and can't take another hit."

Cynthia and Milotic were now scared as were many who saw the amount of power that Tyrantrum's head smash had and no noticeable damage was showing. "Tyrantrum has Rock Head." Michael says.

"Rock head?" Angie asks.

Cynthia holds up a finger before walking away to the announcer and takes out a checkbook and starts writing on a slip. "She's paying now?" Zoey asks as all were confused.

"You see Angie Rock head is an ability some rock pokemon have. It makes them unable to take recoil damage from their attacks." Dawn explains where a confused Jack could hear.

Cynthia sighs as she rips out the slip and gives it the announcer. "Tournament grade shields." She said before walking back to her place as she pockets the check book. "Try and be more careful. You could be the cause of many lost lives with that one."

"You now see why Tyrantrum was nearly invincible in the ancient world?" Michael asks as Tyrantrum takes his place beside him again.

"Quite. Ready to go again?" Cynthia asks.

"He is a juggernaut when he charges." Zoey says in complete shock.

"Tyrantrum, ancient power!" Michael calls nearly horrifying her as Tyrantrum formed a glowing ball of energy in front of its body and shoots it at Milotic.

"Ice beam and make sure you ice it all." Cynthia said frowning.

The two attacks met midway as they struggled for supremacy before they both detonate kicking up smoke. "Tyrantrum, finish this. Dragon tail!" Michael calls and the last thing Milotic saw before everything went black was a huge glowing tail coming at her.

"Milotic is unable to battle the winner is Tyrantrum!" The announcer proclaimed.

"Oh man. No wonder he wanted to start over. This is like taking a caught Lugia on route 1." Jack said sighing.

'Who says that?' Sneasel asks herself hearing him.

"What incredible power." Angie says in shock as Cynthia returns her knocked out pokemon as Tyrantrum starts shivering from the change in temperature the ice beam created when it exploded.

"It can't stand the cold." Dawn notices.

Cynthia sighs as she takes out Glaceon's pokeball. "So…how do you fare against the cold? We never question the trainers." She asks and throws her out into the field only for pillars of stone to rise up and damage her.

"I thrive." Michael says confidently as he frowns inward, knowing she spotted his juggernaut's achilles heel as Glaceon recovered quickly.

Cynthia nods. "Good. Keep up the blizzard and ice beam all over."

"Tyrantrum, Dark Pulse!" Michael calls as Tyrantrum tries firing the dark pulse from its mouth and misses as Glaceon keeps firing her ice attacks starting to freeze him over, restraining his movements.

"Looks like Cynthia has this in the bag." Gardenia says seeing that Tyrantrum wasn't able to move it's left leg or tail.

"Well…I say you can forfeit this match." Cynthia offers.

"Tyrantrum, return!" Michael calls returning the huge rock type.

"So with one win, Michael is in the lead right?" Angie asks.

"I don't think so." Zoey says.

"Now what's next?" Jack asks rubbing his dreadlock.

Sneasel smiles. "You'll love this part." She said and makes Jack confused at her.

"What do you mean?" Angie asks.

"Both Talonflame and Tyrantrum were either very tired or injured by their battle." Zoey says.

"So it is more like they are on equal footing as neither of them have had a chance to recover, but Glaceon is also hurt from Talonflame's assault." Gardenia explains.

"So what can he do?" Dawn asks before stopping. "Didn't you say he was stopped from transferring Pokemons here?"

Zoey nods. "Overheard it. 'Since the announcement.' That's what he said so that means…"

"Kid's got a mega." Jack said smiling at the thought. "Don't see the jewel though."

"Come out Aura!" Michael calls and out came a Lucario looking ready to battle.

"What?!" Jack yells.

"Easy kid." Sensal said smiling as she grabs his ear and holds him back.

"A Lucario?" Zoey asks.

"Look what's it's wearing." Gardenia said as they see a rope necklace with a glowing jewel hanging from it around its neck.

"Aura combo number four!" Michael says and one of Lucario's fist starts glowing an orange aura and the other one glowed a light blue.

'A double aura?!' Jack thinks shocked before the lucario rushes up to glaceon quickly and punches her with the blue glowing fist and then the orange one and sends her flying. 'Oh. A double move.' Jack thinks calming down as Glaceon rights herself in the air and runs off.

"Don't let up. Keep going!" Michael calls and Lucario jumps after Glaceon with incredible speed.

"Glaceon, Hype…" Cynthia couldn't even finish her sentence before Lucario was on Glaceon again delivering punch after punch before sending Glaceon crashing into the ground and when the smoke cleared, Glaceon was unconscious.

"Glaceon is unable to battle, the winner is Lucario!" The ref calls.

Cynthia nods as she returns her. "Nice work. I see what you did there. Your Lucario was using two moves at once. Mach punch for speed and Power up punch to increase its strike power, giving Glaceon and me no time to react." Cynthia says getting out her third pokeball.

"Aura doesn't let his opponents to have a chance to counter." Michael says.

"I can see how he became champion now. Absolute speed with Talonflame, absolute power with his Tyrantrum, and refined fighting technique of that Lucario now." Gardenia says.

Cynthia smiles and throws her pokeball. "Then let's see what we can fight with, right Garchomp?" She said as the large shark dragon growls heavily before rock pillars came out of the ground and damages her a bit.

"Shark bait." Jack quips and has a shadow cover him and looks to see Garchomp in front of him and staring at him before lifting up a claw and bonks him on the head. "Ow! I give!"

'A pup? Where's the mother?' Aura thinks looking to Jack trying to push the claw off.

"Aura, this match is yours." Michael says alerting Aura that the others were either very weakened or knocked out in battle.

Aura frowns and gets into a stance as Garchomp goes back to her place and waits.

"This is it. Cynthia's final pokemon." Gardenia says.

"Well this one might be the best one there is." Zoey said watching the two getting ready to fight.

Jack watched intensely, no snide comments or anything made, as the two pokemon stared each other down barely moving then they shot forward. "Aura, Bone Rush!" Michael calls and Aura formed a bone staff made of energy faster than anyone had ever seen.

Jack tilts his head as he watches the energy move outward that became longer than Aura. 'Can it…?'

Aura and Garchomp met and to Garchomp's momentary shock, Aura used the bone like a bo staff, keeping him out of it's claw range before smacking it or jabbing it in the stomach with the end. "Garchomp, Flamethrower!" Cynthia calls and Garchomp instantly starts spewing fire from it's mouth, making Lucario flip away to gain distance.

Jack blinks slowly as he watches it all and Sneasel chuckles to herself at his almost starry eyed look as she watches him to make sure he doesn't run off before seeing the dreadlocks on him rise a bit like he was using aura sense and leans over and sees his eyes still open and watching. 'Strange.'

"Your Lucario is excellently trained, that is for sure." Cynthia calls as Garchomp smirks.

"Garchomp is no slouch either. It's fighting instincts, endurance, and reaction time make it a force to be reckoned with." Michael says noticing Garchomp hadn't been that badly hurt as he would have thought in the exchange.

"Well we have surprises of our own. You can't know everything by reading and watching." Cynthia said smirking as she snaps her fingers and Garchomp growls and then roars at Aura before running off.

"Seven." Michael calls and Aura stood his ground and waits before dodging to the right at the last moment, barely dodging the brick break that damaged the stadium floor before firing an aura sphere at Garchomp's back, making it stop using bone rush.

'Two attacks…but focusing thoughts…like magic…' Jack thinks to himself as he watches the bone staff dissipate and a blue energy wave spreads throughout the area.

'That was a pulse. Must be the pup.' Aura thinks as he turns back to the battle and waits for Garchomp to move.

Garchomp's tail suddenly glow light blue and smacks Aura's side, sending him skidding away.

'Okay, worry about the pup later. Battle now.' Aura thinks hard to himself as he gets back up as Garchomp comes at him with another dragon tail before Aura jumps over the swing and lands on the other side and grabs the tail as he slides with it before planting his paws into the ground and pushes hard into its side before heaving Garchomp away and sends her rolling across the ground.

'Ok, clock is ticking and although we are doing damage, time will run out before we make major headway…no choice then.' Michael thinks. "Aura, tell me. How bad do you want to win this?" Michael asks.

Aura looks at him and nods before turning back to watch Garchomp.

"Very well." Michael says messing with the bracer on his right arm, revealing a stone with a double helix design on it. "Aura, go all out." Michael instructs before pushing it and lights it up with Aura's accessory.

Zoey facepalmed. "I am so having a talk with him after this."

The entire crowd watched as Aura mega evolved into Mega Lucario.

"Called it." Jack said sighing. "I like it better now mega."

"So this is mega evolving." Cynthia says looking Aura over.

"And that is not all." Michael says before Aura disappears and not a split second later, Garchomp was hit with a mach punch.

Garchomp growls as she was sent to the ground before quickly getting back up and looks around for Aura.

"Aura, Aura sphere!" Michael calls and above Garchomp in the air everyone saw Aura creating a ten times bigger sphere than the last and holds it over his head ready to throw it down when they heard a buzzer sound.

"Times up! This battle is a draw!" The announcer calls and Aura let's go of the energy and lands in front of Michael as he changes back to normal and smiles at Garchomp as she huffs at him.

"What an exhibition match!" A trainer calls next to Jack calls.

"Ah! Ears!" Jack yells holding his paws over his ears.

"Who knew Kalos trainers were so strong." Another says in astonishment as Aura and Michael left the arena.

Zoey frowns as she gets up and hurries to catch Michael as the others get up and follow.

"Been awhile since we had a good battle huh Aura?" Michael asks leaning against the wall waiting.

Aura nods before hearing walking behind them and looks to see Zoey walk up to Michael who then slugs him hard in the shoulder and sends him stumbling. "Explaining time." Zoey demanded.

"What on?" Michael says as Aura snickered.

Zoey huffs. "The fact that you knew not only about Cynthia, but about mega evolving. You have been hiding a lot from us and you told me that was all you knew."

"Ok. First, I only met her today, but all champions know the other ones. The officials and managers make sure of that. International 'our champion is better than yours' stuff." Michael says sounding annoyed by the subject.

"And the mega stuff?" Zoey asks glaring at him.

"Kalos didn't want anyone outside them knowing about it. That is why you would have been hard pressed to find any battles from their online. I wasn't even allowed to get Aura here and many others because of that." Michael informs making Zoey hold her head.

"Your government is…"

"Stupid." Michael finishes.

"Then you should have stayed there until the announcement." Zoey said huffing and then turns and walks off.

Only for Aura to grab her hand before pulling her to Michael.

"Could be any more direct?" Michael asks turning to Aura.

"Not subtle is he?" Zoey asks.

"You saw how he used that bone rush?" Michael asks.

Zoey shakes her head at him. "When are you going to stop hiding from me?"

"I got…a few more secrets, but Kalos requires me by law to keep my mouth shut." Michael says looking depressed with the storm cloud and everything.

Zoey just rubs her forehead as she kept frowning as Aura backs away slowly before bumping into Dawn. "How are they doing?" Dawn whispers as they pull Aura around a corner.

"How big is the secrets?" Zoey asks.

"It…well…involves our legendary pokemon we don't like to talk about and a certain event." Michael says.

Zoey kept pinching the bridge of her eyes before looking to him as she kept frowning. "You…I'm running out of insults and demanding questions for you." She said huffing.

"I'm sorry, but it's my stupid government's lead…" Michael stops seeing the news on the nearby monitor. Kalos's president died of heart attack.

Zoey snaps her fingers at him. "Hey. Enough government things. But if you want to hide the next part, be my guest."

"Well since he is dead and they revealed mega evolving. I can talk about it now." Michael says.

Zoey pokes his chest. "Tell me everything."

Michael proceed to tell her about his pokemon journey in broad strokes. From team Flair to meeting the legendary pokemon, Xerneas and Yveltal. "Man, finally being able to talk about it is a weight off my chest." Michael says as it was now dark out.

Zoey stares at him the whole time before reaching up a hand to him and Michael backs away a bit before grabbing his shirt and pulls him close. "That's it?"

"Well there was also the meeting of Zygarde, but that was weird and still trying to figure it out." Michael admits.

Zoey stares at him still. "Your region is too far up its own ass, it doesn't notice what we had hid. I mean…yeah is worse."

"Tell me about it. The last president swore no one would ever know our secrets and if I talked, he would have arrested my mom as a spy and terrorist." Michael says.

Zoey shakes her head. "You know, we had much…much worse than what you had faced. We almost had a universe shattering event by our crime organisation. I think we beat your problems by a large margin."

"Team Galactic, right?" Michael asks.

"I think the name says it all." Zoey said huffing.

"I know of them. Not long after I became champion, I got recruited to become a part of a detective office as an investigator by international police officer Looker, but I didn't know that detail at the time. He taught me how to investigate crimes and everything. Well before he left, we assembled a team under his watch and he left it to Emma after catching Xerosic, one of team Flare's leading scientist. Down the line, we busted some team galactic members trying to reform in Kalos." Michael says.

Zoey slowly let's him go and sighs. "You owe me, big time."

"I will have plenty of chances, don't you think?" Michael asks.

"Not if you mess this up." Zoey said raising an eyebrow.

Michael just smiles and leans on Zoey's shoulder.

Zoey pushes him off. "Fanciest restaurant in town and you are paying for all it. That's a start."

"Let's feed the pokemon first and don't you have a contest to get ready for tomorrow?" Michael asks reminding both Dawn and Zoey making their eyes widen.

Zoey quickly slaps him across the face. "Waiting for an excuse." She said before running off as Dawn runs by the rest from around the corner.

"Well I got off lucky." Michael says as Angie and Gardenia laughed.

"He doesn't know girls that well, does he?" Gardenia asks Aura.

Aura says nothing as he looks down at Jack.

Jack looks up at him before raising a paw. "Yo."

"Where's your mother?" Aura asks raising an eyebrow at him.

Jack shrugs. "Don't have one…or maybe she's still there." He said the last part to himself.

Aura hums. "Can you do some aura sensing?"

Jack shrugs. "I think." He said before closing his eyes and his dreadlocks stand on end before Aura felt a pulse from him. "How's that?" Jack asks opening his eyes and Aura stares at them. "What?"

"What can you still see?" Aura asks leaning down to him and looking him over and looks carefully at his blue glowing eyes.

Jack hums. "Mostly the faint wisps of aura." He dramatically said before shrugging. "I don't know. I think they are like sun spots on the eyes when you stare at the sun. Lingering."

"I have been meaning to ask that part as well." Sneasel said poking his head.

"Who is he sneasel?" Aura asks.

"A kid we found. He's gotten better on attitude through." She said smirking as she leans on Aura.

"And the fiery hair one?" Aura asks.

"Same time, helping us out deal with a bad kid who messed with Rilou here." She said smiling.

"I mean what is she to him?" Aura asks.

"Oh. Nothing really. She is almost like a mother and Michael the father, but other than that, nothing at all. This little guy is just a tag along when you think about it."

"I meant to our trainer so stop dancing around the question like you always do and answer!" Aura yells at Sneasel.

She grins. "Possible future mate."

"And he got bitch slapped, twice." Jack quips holding up two fingers on his paw.

Hearing this, sneasel raises a claw and smacks his rear making him jump holding it.

Aura sighs as Jack howls in pain. "Unbelievable."

"So me and Pyroar are raising three kids now." Sneasel says.

"Three?" Aura asks raising an eyebrow at her.

"Lulu, Eruption, and now this one." Sneasel says.

"Well I have been away too long." Aura said rubbing his head.

"You have been at the lab with the others." Sneasel reminds.

"And training on my own." Aura said still rubbing his head.

"You still need to work on that aura sphere. Still not strong enough without you mega evolving." Sneasel reminds.

Jack stares at them at that point hearing that.

"I know. I am still working on that." Aura says.

Jack looks Aura over and tries to see why he can't do a aura sphere that well.

"You should have done more damage to that Garchomp with aura sphere than that." Sneasel says more to Jack than Aura.

"I know. You can shut up about it and you stop with your aura sense." Aura said looking to Jack who still had glowing eyes before they died down.

"Come on." Sneasel says dragging Jack after Angie and Gardenia.

"Help." Jack said as he was dragged along the ground.


	13. Maggot

"You two are training hard." Michael says watching Zoey and Dawn.

"No thanks to you." Zoey grumbles as she directs her Pokemon to move away from Dawn's a bit.

Michael walks up with towels for the two.

"Back off." Zoey said still watching the Pokemon battle it out.

"Zo zo, don't be like that. He wants to spend time with you." Dawn says.

"I thought I told you to never call me that!" Zoey yells as all the Pokemon snicker.

"Water?" Michael offers.

"But, Ms. senior calls you that all the time Zo Zo." Dawn says smirking.

"Dawn!" Zoey yells angrily.

Michael keeps holding the water, offering it to her.

Zoey grumbles as she snatched the water bottle and starts to drink it.

"Feeling good?" Michael asks looking to her and then to her Aerodactyl.

"It's better and yes. But I'm still mad at you." Zoey said rolling her eyes.

"So should we show Aerodactyl the king?" Michael asks.

"Do it. It might shut him up more." Zoey said trying to think of new moves to do.

"Come out Tyrantrum." Michael says hugging her as he did.

Zoey glares at him as Tyrantrum comes out and growls heavily as Aerodactyl stares up at him. "Let go of me." Zoey declares.

Michael smiles as Tyrantrum looks around before looking down.

Aerodactyl squawks and tries to shrink itself but it didn't know that move.

"This is the King of the ancient world." Michael says.

Zoey sighs. "So you better listen to him."

"Down Tyrantrum." Michael says bringing out a brush.

Zoey raises an eyebrow as Michael starts to brush Tyrantrum's side. "You still need to make it up to me."

"Can you help with this? He loves when you brush the white collar." Michael says.

Zoey groans and walks over. "Give me one."

"Here." Michael says handing it to her.

Zoey snatches it and starts to brush the collar. "You still owe me."

To Zoey's surprise, Tyrantrum starts to almost purr.

"Told you." Michael said smirking.

"This big guy is a big softy." Dawn says.

Michael nods. "He's real sweet when you get to know him."

"And a twenty foot something juggernaut." Zoey says.

Michael smirks. "That too." Michael says seeing kids starting to gather around.

Zoey looks to Michael as he kept brushing. "You're persistent."

"I have to take care of this big guy." Michael says.

"With me." Zoey said frowning.

"Nothing worthwhile is easy." Micheal says making her blush and Dawn smirk.

"So when's the first date?" Dawn asks teasingly.

Michael freezes for a moment as the kids start climbing on Tyrantrum's tail.

"Well?" Zoey asks tapping her foot.

"I thought you were too mad at me." Michael says.

"If you can take me out on a date, I might reconsider." Zoey said raising an eyebrow at him.

"Well…um…" Michael pauses.

"You haven't been on one, have you?" Dawn asks.

"No. Not really." Michael said as Tyrantrum smirks at them.

"Zo zo, you will need to lead." Dawn teases.

"Shut up." Zoey grumbles as she watches Michael. "Fancy restaurant, no funny business."

"Yes ma'am." Michael says.

Tyrantrum snickers as he watches his trainer get knocked down a peg.

"Hey, tons of fun." Sneasel say walking up making Tyrantrum pale.

"You little…" Tyrantrum calls turning to her.

"I got an ice age with your name on it if you forget who is in charge." Sneasel says.

Tyrantrum growls heavily at that point.

* * *

"You…was I alright?" Michael asks looking to Zoey in a dress and her hair styled so no one could tell who she was.

Zoey sighs. "Good enough. You're forgiven…for now. So don't pull something like that again."

"So what does a boyfriend do now?" Michael asks making her smile.

"Keeps the girl happy." Zoey said chuckling.

"And how do I do that?" Michael asks as Zoey undoes her hair styling.

"Simple, know me and figure it out." Zoey said shaking her head a bit.

"Is there anything you want me to do now?" Michael asks.

"Man. Dawn was right. I will have to train you." Zoey says.

"I'm not a Pokemon." Michael said innocently.

"But you still need to be taught." Zoey says as Jack kept watching Aura who was meditating in a corner.

"So…you just do this all day?" Jack asks raising an eyebrow. Aura said nothing as he keeps meditating getting Jack to use aura sense and sees his aura blazing like a inferno. Jack raises an eyebrow and builds up some aura and sends out a pulse at him and it immediately bounces back and knocks him down. "Ow."

"Seems the little Riolu used aura sense." Michael says seeing him recoil on the bed.

Zoey hums. "You going to keep your Lucario around for him? Maybe have him deal with the little tyke's attitude?"

"If I could have more than six pokemon, I would but I got other pokemon I must train he is only staying for tonight." Michael says.

Jack perks his ears up at him and gets back up. "So…two auras or two moves?" He asks looking to Aura.

"Neither. When you train enough to manipulate your aura freely, then such things are child's play." Aura says.

"So it's one after the other. Makes sense. You focus on powering one up all the way and the other in the back with small power before charging that up once it needs to be used." Jack said to himself.

"Do you mean my two fist punch technique?" Aura asks.

"Is that what you call it? Geez, make that move into one hand and you can be One Punch Lucario." Jack said chuckling.

"It is nowhere that easy." Aura says.

"Unless you have the energies right behind each other. Like one on her hand and the other on your arm and you can give the second extra energy to move up and double punch while you are still on em'." Jack said chuckling at the thought.

"You must divide your consciousness into two and both focus on the same thing to do this." Aura says.

"Unless you have a wild imagination to do so. I mean, it's like playing a song so good in your head, play a show right next to it, playing a game, pay attention to a show right beside you, and have a meal all at the same time. Oh, those were the good days." Jack said sighing at the memory.

"You lack the discipline to do such." Aura informs.

"Because I'm a pup?" Jack asks raising an eyebrow.

"No, because you take nothing seriously." Aura says cutting him deeply and made him unable to make a comeback.

Jack stares at the still mediating Lucario and sighs before going to his bed and pulls the covers over him.

"So what do you think about your contest tomorrow?" Michael asks.

"I'll make it…as long you don't jinx it. So anything else I should know?" Zoey asks sitting at the table in the room.

"Since we are traveling together, is it ok to cheer for both you and Dawn?" Michael asks.

"Yes it is." Zoey said sighing as she relaxes in her chair.

"Thank goodness." Michael says sitting down before he felt two hands grabs the sides of his face.

"But if you cheer more for her, I'll get you later." Zoey said seriously.

"Yes, ma'am." Michael says before she holds his head in her arms.

"And I loved the date." Zoey whispered to him.

Michael, hearing that, reached around and hugs her.

Zoey chuckles. "You clueless trainer."

"Well…no defence." Michael says.

"Got that right. Now then, I better get back to my room and rest up. I think we all need it." Zoey said letting go of him.

"...isn't this your room?" Michael asks.

"You are clueless." Zoey said walking away before walking back in. "Get to your room. This is mine." Zoen says walking back in.

"Yes ma'am." Michael says.

"Same to you two." Zoey calls to the two Pokemon.

Aura rolls his eyes as he comes out of his meditation and picks up Jack by the scruff of his neck and carries him away as he slept with Michael following.

* * *

"It was close, but Zoey managed to win." Michael says watching Zoey being awarded the ribbon in her dress.

"At least it isn't all bad." Gardenia said chuckling at how nervous she looked.

"Everyone is also taking pictures. I can see the magazines eating this up." Michael says.

"Well this is a first as she has never worn a dress before like this." Angie said grinning.

"Dawn tell you that?" Michael asks getting up.

"Yep." Angie said as they get up and follow.

"Come on Kabuto." Michael says picking her up as he let's her latch onto his arm.

Gardenia hums. "So…are you going to give a congratulatory kiss for her victory?" She asks teasingly.

Michael didn't even respond as he walks off.

Gardenia snickers. "I love this group."

Michael waits outside Zoey's changing room and knocks on the door.

"Yeah?" He hears Zoey call.

"It's me." Michael calls.

"Hang on a moment." Zoey said and Michael waits before the door opens and Zoey is in her usual traveling outfit. "Great to be out of that stuff."

"Still looked great." Michael compliments shamelessly.

"But I am not wearing that again." Zoey said miffed as she crosses her arms.

"Well I can bet the press will have a field day with it." Michael says.

"One more word about it and I will punch your lights out." Zoey said glaring at him.

"I'm not saying anything. It's just you are famous now." Michael says.

"Good. Keep your thoughts that way. I really don't want to waste time on you." Zoey said rolls her eyes.

"I thought I was your boyfriend." Michael says reminding her.

"You are. I just don't want to waste time hitting you." Zoey said smirking.

Michael smiles and leans over to her and wraps his arms around her.

Zoey sighs. "That being said, you still have a lot to do."

"Like what?" Michael asks Zoey notices Kabuto.

Zoey hums as she takes Kabuto off. "What do you think Kabuto? Is he still clueless as ever with girls?"

Kabuto moves her legs and makes a chitter like sound in confirmation.

Zoey chuckles and holds Kabuto. "See? She agrees with me. You need to learn and I'm going to get you a dummy's book."

"If there was such a book, every man would have one." Dawn jokes.

Zoey grins to her and the others walking up. "And they still wouldn't get it."

"Because we keep changing the rules." Dawn says smirking.

"I'm never going to follow, am I?" Michael asks in despair.

"Oh don't worry. I will train you." Zoey says before holding him.

"Wow. She really got into it." Angie said surprised.

"What are you up to?" Zoey asks.

"Nothing." Angie said playing it off.

"So he is clueless?" Gardenia asks.

"Very." Zoey said smirking.

Gardenia, hearing that, bursts out laughing. "Well I guess every champion has their faults."

Michael suddenly has a dark cloud above him as he slouches. 'I am never going to live this down.'

"Come on now. Back to the pokemon center." Dawn says patting his back.

"Fine." Michael said dragging himself as he walked back to the center.

* * *

"Alright, roll call. Sneasel." Michael says.

"Sne." Sneasel said.

"Pyroar." Michael calls.

"Py." Pyroar said as she held Jack in her paws.

"Eruptions." Michael calls.

"Char." Eruption said raising a paw.

"Archen." Michael calls.

"Caw." Archen said raising a wing.

"Lulu?" Michael asks.

"Ra." Lulu said raising a trial mix bag.

"Kabuto." Michael says.

Kabuto chitters as she was latched onto Jack's head.

"Riolu?" Michael says as Jack tries to get her off his head.

"Yo." Jack said prying Kabuto off and just holds her.

"Zoey." Dawn says smirking to the side.

"Shut up." Zoey grumbles.

"Not a morning girl, are you?" Dawn asks smirking at her.

Zoey just reaches over and smacks her upside the head.

"We are all set. Alright everyone, time to start training." Michael says.

Jack just waves a paw in the air as everyone cheered.

"Sneasel, Pyroar, normal sparing. Eruption, we are going to work on your speed." Michael says.

Lulu whistles at him as she lays against Archen and still was shoveling trial mix in her mouth.

"You know what that means." Michael says starting to assemble a little machine.

Lulu shrugs as she kept eating.

"Your training is dodge." Michael says as he finishes assembling what Jack thought was a baseball pitcher.

Lulu eats the last of the trial mix and stands up as Archeon starts to stretch himself.

"You remember how this works Eruption?" Michael asks.

"Char." Eruption said wagging her tail.

"Ok, ready to start?" Michael asks.

She gives a smoking huff as Michael starts up the machine and it starts to fire beanbags at her to which she start dodging as it goes faster tracking her movements.

"Alright, next Archen. Meditation. You need better control with your power." Michael says.

Archen caws and glides over to a nearby rock and uses secret power and makes him glow steadily.

"Next, Lulu. You will use your psychic powers to practice levitating multiple objects at once." Michael says getting her attention.

"Yay!" Lulu cheers walking over to the group of rocks around Archean and starts to lift them.

"Kabuto, your turn." Michael says.

Kabuto chitters and crawls off of Jack and towards him.

Michael bends down and starts whispering to her.

Kabuto chitters to him as she listens before chittering happily.

"Ok, now go practice." Michael says.

Kabuto chitters as she crawls to a nearby pond.

"Ok. Now Ri…" Michael stops as he sees him gone. "Someone find him."

"Forest." Zoey said watching the forest.

"Pyroar." Michael calls.

Pyroar sighs and walks into the forest and into a bush. "Yeow!" Jack yells as he was dragged back out with his tail in Pyroar's jaws as he pulls a large leaf with some berries on it. "If you want one, go for the berries, not me." Jack yells.

"Riolu, training time." Michael says.

"Gee, can't wait." Jack said sarcastically.

Pyroar, hearing this, bops him with a paw.

"Let's see. Still young and just know aura sense. Might as well try training you as I did Aura." Michael said as Jack just stares at him as he rubs his head. "You will start doing push ups till you collapse."

Jack slouches. "I'm in a death trap."

"And if you slack, then Sneasel takes over your training personally." Michael informs.

Jack goes wide-eyed and slowly looks over to the grinning and waving Sneasel.

"Alright everyone, get to work." Michael says.

Jack slouch walks over to a spot a bit away before stopping. "And here I thought I was done with gym." He groans as he falls down before starting to get up on his paws and do some push ups.

"So this is average training?" Angie asks.

"Yep for the low level ones." Michael simply said watching.

"Just this?" Angie asks.

"And many others." Michael said stretching a bit.

"Surely that isn't your secret to training." Angie says recalling his pokemon's speed, power, and technique.

"Nope. That's it. Just these types of training and that's it." Michael said smirking.

"Someone isn't telling everything again." Zoey says.

"That's all." Michael said watching them all train.

"I think he isn't ready to part with that." Gardenia says.

"Well I will let that go for now." Zoey says.

Michael sighs in relief. "Well…better join them."

"Stay and watch." Zoey instructs before throwing out her pokeballs.

Michael rolls his eyes as Zoey's Pokemon come out and watches the group train.

"Ok, guys time to train." Zoey instructs.

"Oh, I want to join." Dawn says throwing her pokeballs.

"Hang on." Angie said throwing out hers.

"Pyroar, Sneasel, be the training partners for all that wish it." Michael instructs as Gardenia joins in.

They both growl in agreement as they find any who wants to join.

"So what are you wanting to be training in?" Michael asks.

"Contest style mostly." Dawn said.

"So when are we heading south?" Michael asks pulling out his pokedex.

"Soon. We are taking the night off." Zoey said as the Pokemon go off to be trained.

"Well that's one way." Michael says humming as he thought about it. "Then again, it's a good idea to rest now and then." He said to himself.

"So tell me, how do you train electric types?" Angie asks.

"That depend. What would you say your Shinx's weakest point is?" Michael asks.

Angie hums. "Basically reaction. He's good at simple things, but quick all over the place is troubling."

"Hum." Micheal says starting to think.

"Got any ideas?" Angie asks.

"You ever played a Wack-A-Digglet?" Michael asks.

"You have to be kidding? An arcade game?" Angie asks before stopping. "Actually…video games do help."

"Have him try playing this for hours and see if there is an improvement." Michael advises.

Angie sighs. "Okay. Now I just have to find one."

"You really think that will work?" Zoey asks sweat dropping.

"Yeah. That entire game is about reaction time." Michael reminds.

"Well maybe we should all give them a game to play." Zoey sarcastically says.

"Did someone say game?!" Jack calls before dropping from pain. "Ow. My tendons."

"Take a break Riolu. Then back to it." Michael says not looking at Jack who only did ten pushups so far.

"Fuck you!" Jack calls before groaning. "Don't bother. This is enough." He says to the approaching Sneasel.

"Oh, are you still cranky?" Sneasel asks.

"I would rather be sleeping." Jack groans into the ground.

"Where did I put that whistle?" Sneasel asks.

"Don't you dare. I have enough on my mind besides a high pitched dog whistle. Besides, you have claws that can be used as a whistle." Jack says rolling over and stretching.

The next thing Jack heard was a whistle right in his ear.

"Ah!" Jack yells pulling on his ears.

"What did you say maggot?" Sneasel asks.

"You're not the famous drill sergeant!" Jack yells to her.

The whistle was blown in his ear again. "Did I say you could speak maggot!?"

"Not working!" Jack yells frowning. "I heard worse."


	14. Flaring Emotions

"You call those push ups?! A pokemon with no arms could do better!" Sneasel yells at Jack as the sun was setting.

Jack laid there, sweating badly, completely tired.

"Unbelievable. You can't even do some simple ones." Sneasel says as she walks around him.

"Sneasel, Riolu, come back inside." Michael calls.

Jack groans. "Give me a minute. I'll be right there." He calls out tiredly.

"Well I am done for the day." Sneasel says picking Jack up and walks to the door.

"Sure. Speak for me oh great one." Jack says sarcastically.

"I can still spank you if you run that smart mouth of yours." Sneasel reminds.

"Oh just get me into bed." Jack says almost quietly now.

"Yeah. I am kid." Sneasel says.

Jack groans as he is carried limply.

Sneasel rolls her eyes as she carries him inside the room and throws him on the bed before just throwing the blanket over him as he curls up before walking off to the others and grabs what he uses as he called a 'phone' along the way and messes with it. "What's so special about you?" She asks fiddling around with it.

* * *

"Good job today everyone." Dawn tells her pokemon as they ate.

They all cry out before returning to eat.

"You having fun?" Angie asks as Shinx is playing on the game.

"Yeah. Including everyone, right?" Dawn asks and everyone cry out again happily.

"Where are the love birds?" Gardenia asks.

"Dinner." Dawn says smirking.

"You mean Michael sleeping on the table while Zoey gets them food?" Gardenia jokes.

"Yeah. He is a sleepy head." Dawn says chuckling.

"And Zoey treating him like a new pokemon." Gardenia jokes.

"Guess they have a lot of training to do." Angie says laughing.

"Well she does have a new one in this field…how much experience does she even have?" Dawn asks.

"I though you would know. She is your friend." Gardenia says crossing her arms.

"Yeah, but I never heard of her dating." Dawn says thinking about it.

"Well maybe some fun can come from it." Angie says.

"Or if he gets out of line, I can use this." Dawn says taking out a taser.

"You are kinky, aren't you?" Angie asks sweat dropping.

"No…after a few guys grabbing my ass, I had to get something." Dawn says putting it away.

"Oh." Angie says understandingly.

"Looking at that short skirt, I can see why." Gardenia says looking Dawn over.

Dawn huffs. "Well…if he does bother Zory, I'll be there to back her up." She says smirking now.

'Yeah. So totally a lesbian for her.' Angie thinks.

"So, anyone want to play a mock battle or contest?" Dawn asks looking to them.

"I'm up for a mock battle. I want to see if Shinx has improved his reaction time." Angie says.

"Shinx!" Shinx cries out happily and jumps in place.

"Alright Pachirisu." Dawn calls.

"Chipa!" Pachirisu says happily bounding up to Shinx.

* * *

"We got everything?" Michael asks.

"Should be." Zoey says looking through the bags.

"So what next? We heading south to find a contest?" Michael asks.

Zoey sighs. "Since the original plan is gone, we better continue on with our own things. So yeah. Contest time."

"What should I do as your boyfriend?" Michael asks.

Zory smirks as she stands up. "Carry all this."

"Yes ma'am." Michael says carrying everything.

Zoey smiles as she takes a few bags. "And that reprieve is for taking it all without question." She says before kissing his cheek. "And that's for being cute." She says smirking as she walks away with him blushing.

Michael smiles as he follows her with Pyroar carrying her own doggy bag.

Zoey smiles as she looks back to him. "Are you okay with all this?"

"Yeah, I am. I think I made the right choice starting over." Michael informs.

"I mean us." Zoey clairfies.

"Yeah, I am." Michael says smiling at her.

"Good. Because you still need a lot to learn." Zoey says chuckling.

"Alright." Michael answers as they came to the pokemon center and sees Angie and Dawn battling with their electric types.

"What did we miss?" Zoey asks walking over to Gardenia.

"Angie wanted to see if the training had already started to pay off." Gardenia says.

"Well it should." Michael says, making Gardenia look to him and become shocked that she couldn't see him under all the bags.

"Is that your boyfriend under all those bags?" Gardenia asks taking one away and sees his face.

"Hi." Michael says smiling before Gardenia puts the bag back.

"How much did you get?" She asks looking to Zoey.

"A few things. Most of it is food for all of us." Zoey informs.

"Good. I'm sure these two would love it." Gardenia says looking back to the fight.

"As in we also brought dinner." Zoey adds.

"At least we won't go hungry too. I would think after today and yesterday, it's time to reward them." Gardenia says chuckling.

"Um…someone mind helping me. I can't let go of anything or it will all fall." Michael informs.

"I got it." Zoey says taking half of it away before carrying it off to their rooms with Michael following.

"Shinx, agility, go." Angie calls.

Shinx growls as she glows before running off at Parichisu at quick speeds.

"Dodge Pachirisu." Dawn commands.

"Chi…" Pachirisu cries out as it quickly jumps and glides off to the side, making Shinx skid to a stop where Pachirisu was.

"So think the little cub is going to beat the squirrel?" Sneasel asks Pyroar as they watched.

"No clue. It's tough to say as they are both young." Pyroar says smiling.

"But the squirrel does the advantage in experience." Sneasel points out.

"And barely training. Meanwhile, Shinx has been training in reaction time which is what is needed here." Pyroar says watching Pachirisu move about.

"But only one day of it." Sneasel reminds.

"Sometimes just one second is enough." Pyroar reminds Michael's saying.

"But will he see it? The moment to strike and have the reflexes to do so?" Sneasel asks.

"Depends how fast the kid learns." Pyroar says shrugging.

"Can you guess from watching?" Sneasel asks as Shinx manages a tackle on Pachirisu.

"Want to bet then? I would bet on Shinx." Pyroar says still watching.

"Didn't say bet, but who will do better." Sneasel says.

"The Shinx." Pyroar says.

"Ok. Let's see if he can." Sneasel says.

Pyroar smiles as they watch Shinx use agility again and try to tackle Pachirisu as Pachirisu jumps out of the way again and Pachirisu's cheeks start to releases light blue sparks as Shinx kept trying to hit it.

"Oh. Guess the little guy should know about abilities soon." Sneasel says shaking her head.

"Here comes discharge." Pyroar says before Pachirisu unleashed a light blue electricity all around it from it's body making Shinx unable to even attempt to dodge from it being so close.

Shinx cries out and growls as it glares Pachirisu and tries to move toward it. "Okay, that's determination." Jack says walking by as he watches the battle.

"The kid has a fighting spirit but he can't win this fight." Sneasel says.

"Considering ability and type, I would think so. My money's on the squirrel." Jack says walking off.

"He's going for a bite." Pyroar says.

Sneasel sighs as Shinx bites onto Pachirisu's foot and swings it down and slams it into the ground. "And is he out?" Sneasel asks watching carefully.

"Pachi Pachi Pachi." Pachirisu says every time it is slammed on the ground.

"Huh. Might be out." Sneasel says shaking her head.

"Shinx doesn't have the ability." Pyroar points out.

"But with physical attacks, he is far stronger from the looks of it." Sneasel says.

"With time, yes." Pyroar says watching as Pachirisu kept getting slammed before he started to spark blue. "And there is it."

"Discharge incoming." Sneasel says before Shinx tosses Pachirisu away.

Pachirisu aims towards the ground and lands close by before swinging its tail and smacks Shinx in the side of its face before using Discharge and makes Shinx cry out in pain as they were both covered in blue sparks.

"Pyroar, you want to get in on there?" Sneasel asks.

"Nah. I would rather their trainers did their jobs." Pyroar says looking to the two girls.

"Ok, that's enough." Dawn calls.

Both Pokemon back off and takes a break as they lay on the ground.

"You did good Shinx." Angie says petting her pokemon.

Shinx growls happily as it leans into the petting.

"Pachirisu, you were great." Dawn compliments.

"Chipa." Pachirisu says happily up to her.

"Ok. If you two are done, the love birds came back with dinner." Gardenia calls.

"Alright, food!" Angie cheers running off with Shinx.

"She is something interesting." Dawn says chuckling.

"And with you liking anything our Zoey can make." Gardenia teases.

"Zoey can cook?" Dawn asks jokingly.

"Well…if it's take out so that means you like the choices." Gardenia keeps teasing. "You ate alone with her?"

"Nope." Dawn answers, missing what she was really implying.

Gardenia sighs. "I try." She says as they all walk off.

"Hey, if you two aren't coming, can I have your shares?" Angie calls.

"Yeah right!" Dawn yells running now.

"Not on your life!" Gardenia calls running in.

* * *

"Yeah, I want those two." Michael says putting his pokeballs into the transfer machine.

"Of course. And here's the ones you requested." The assistant says over the video call.

"Thanks." Michael says retrieving them and turns to Zoey.

Zoey smiles as she watches it all. "Got mine still. Ready to go?"

"Yeah and it will do Lulu some good. Her mother Mirage." Michael says.

Zoey hums. "Come here." She says waving a finger to him.

"Yes?" Michael asks walking over to her.

Zoey smiles and puts her arms around his neck. "How about we enjoy the last bit of city life here before heading off? And let's make it quick because the others might get impatient."

"They can sleep a little longer as we have all night." Michael says leaning down.

Zoey grins. "Shall we go?"

"You lead." Michael instructs.

Zoey nods and grabs his hands and pulls him away outside.

"It's a nice night." Michael points out looking up.

Zoey chuckles. "Yeah. Do you still like to go on with this relationship?"

"We just started it and you are asking me that?" Michael asks.

"Can't really know what you are thinking since we are just talking battling and where to go lately." Zoey says as they start to walk along the park.

"That is mainly a average day for me. Not so much anything bad." Michael informs.

"And yet this is an add-on to the trouble?" Zoey asks looking to him.

"How do you think?" Michael asks wrapping an arm around her.

"Ah, good. You are learning fast." Zoey says looking to where he has his arm around her.

"This is right? I saw this in a movie." Michael explains.

Zoey sighs and slouches. "You still have a lot to learn. It won't always be like the movie or TV show."

"So I am doing it wrong?" Michael asks slouching in defeat.

Zoey pulls him back up by his collar. "No. You are. Just try to come up with your own ways instead of just movies. Okay?"

"Alright, this is far more difficult than I thought." Michael comments.

"Love always is." Zoey says patting his back.

"I am basically flying blind." Michael explains.

"And so am I. Never had someone this close." Zoey explains, trying to cheer him up.

"So it's the blind leading the blind then?" Michael asks holding her again.

"More like, 'Shoot and hope we hit something.'" Zoey says chuckling.

"I am happy I came to this region." Michael whispers smiling.

Zoey smiles and bumps into him. "Then I am glad you decided to choose this place."

"Come on. Kiss." Sneasel says watching, hidden behind the bushes.

"Not going to happen unless he gets some balls to try." Jack says watching without almost any interest. "Besides, she's leading the charge so it might take some time."

"So what now?" Michael asks.

Zoey grins. "Now…we just relax." She says pulling him to a tree and sits down with him as she pulls him down as well. "Just enjoy this."

"I am." Michael says.

"She is a cuddler." Jack comments.

"Quiet and let them have their time." Sneasel warns.

"Says the ice queen who wants them to kiss." Jack quips back.

"Quiet. Babies won't understand." Sneasel says.

"And yet I'm giving some advice. I say, let them have their fun and advanced their own way. You can't force them to kiss. It makes it awkward. Believe me, one of my friends had that problem with peer pressure." Jack says shaking his head.

* * *

"So we all set?" Michael asks everyone.

"Yep." They all said as they lifted their bags onto their backs and all the Pokémons stretches a bit.

"Alright then. Come on over Gogoat and let's ride." Michael calls as he makes sure he has everything.

Zoey smiles as she takes out a pokeball. "Alright Ponyta." She says tossing it up and Ponyta comes out with an excited whinny for a run.

"Ponyta, come out as well." Michael says throwing the pokeball.

Another whinny met them as Michael's Ponyta came out, excited to finally run around.

"So surprised it was a shiny?" Zoey asks.

"Yeah. Hard to find them and I'm now friends with one." Michael says smiling as he places most of the bags onto Gogoat's back and secures them.

"Gogoat, we are going to be giving them a ride on you." Michael informs patting the proud grass type.

Gogoat huffs at him and smiles and nods.

"Alright, who is riding with who? Two of them will be carrying two trainers." Michael says.

"I'll take this one." Dawn says wrapping an arm around his neck.

"I got my own, isn't that right?" Zoey asks petting her Ponyta.

Ponyta knickers as it nuzzles her hand back.

"That just leaves your blue flame one." Gardenia says.

Michael nods. "Yeah. So maybe you and Angie can ride on him. It will be one of the few times you can brag you met a shiny type."

"Alright." Angie says walking toward the shiny.

Michael smiles as Zoey knocks his head and then Dawn's. "Don't mess with him too much. It's just a ride through a route."

"That will take weeks." Dawn reminds.

Zoey knocks her head again. "Don't…mess…with…him." She spells out.

"Protective, aren't you?" Dawn asks.

Zoey rolls her eyes at that.

"Ok, come on you two. We have to get going." Michael says getting on Gogoat's back.

Zoey huffs as she gets onto her Ponyta and Dawn gets on Gogoat with Michael while Gardenia and Angie get on Michael's shiny Ponyta. "Wait up!" Jack yells climbing up onto Gogoat's head and sits down between his horns. "Ready."

"We are heading east Gogoat. Lead the way." Michael instructs.

Gogoat huffs and starts to walks off with both Ponytas following.

"He isn't made for speed like the other two, is he?" Dawn asks.

"No, he is made for endurance, power, and climbing mountains." Michael says patting his pokemon.

Gogoat huffs proudly as he continues with his head held a little higher.

"You doing alright back there?" Michael calls as Sneasel looks back from his shoulder.

"Oh yeah. Leisurely stroll." Gardenia says, making sure she has a grip.

"I meant how are the Ponyta's doing?" Michael calls.

"He's fine. Kinda wants to run though. Keeps going into a trot." Gardenia says as she looks Ponyta over as he gives a small trot.

"He will need his energy when we start hitting rough terrain." Michael says.

"You think we can follow easily?" Zoey asks.

"You should. The terrain isn't that bad, but it will sap their energy about a ways in." Michael informs.

"Settle down you." Gardenia says patting the Ponyta.

Dawn smirks. "Guess he really wants to get going. When do we reach these areas?"

"Not an hour after we exit the city." Michael says.

"Then we are going to have fun." Dawn says grinning.

"Gogoat, time to stop dragging your hooves. The kid is getting impatient." Michael says smirking.

Gogoat huffs and hurries up, catching the two off guard and the shiny to start to run to catch up as the other shakes its head and trots to catch up.

"That better?" Michael asks Dawn.

"Yeah. Now we don't have to worry about them sleeping and walking." Dawn says giggling.

Michael shakes his head as he smiles as Gogoat felt the emotion through his horns that Michael had gripped.

Jack raises an eyebrow as he looks to the horns. 'Huh. Right. Gogoat and horns. Still weird.'


	15. Not Telling

"This should be a good place to camp." Michael says as Gogoat stops.

"Finally. Been wanting to stretch my legs." Dawn says jumping off and stretching.

"You can lay down and rest." Michael says patting Gogoat's head.

Dawn lays down on the ground at that and sighs in relief. "Good. Nice and soft."

"We still have to set up camp and get to cooking." Michael reminds bending down to Dawn.

Dawn points up to him and boops his nose. "You do that. I'm staying on this nice soft grass."

"There's a little caterpie crawling under your skirt." Michael says smirking.

Dawn eeks loudly and jumps as she presses her skirt together and then glares at him as she realizes there is nothing.

"Come on." Michael says, offering a hand to help her up.

Dawn sighs as she takes his hand and pulls herself up. "Don't trick me like that."

"Looks like they are here." Michael says seeing as the Ponyta came up.

"What the heck happened?" Zoey asks smirking as she sees Dawn frowning heavily to him.

"Tricked her to get up." Michael says going to the bag's on Gogoat.

Zoey giggles. "What did you try?" She asks, getting off her Ponyta.

"Caterpie up her skirt. Though I should have probably go for the bug pokemon of this region." Michael says thinking out loud.

Zoey laughs as she walks up. "Yeah. That would get her."

"Don't encourage him." Dawn says as Michael got out the tent.

Zoey grins to her. "It's because you are sometimes easy to fool."

"Is anyone going to help me with the tents?" Michael asks.

"Yeah, yeah. Hold on." Zoey says walking over.

Michael shakes his head as they start setting up the tents as all the pokemon laid down for a rest.

"This is going to be a long travel." Jack says messing with his aura appendages.

"So what is your plan Angie? I get why Dawn and Gardenia are tagging along, but not you." Michael says as Gardenia went to fetch some water.

"To see what you are like and it would make it easier to battle you when I have a chance." Angie says proudly.

"Really, you want to battle?" Michael asks as Sneasel jumped down as if accepting the challenge there.

Angie chuckles. "Oh yeah. I wanted a chance."

"Sneasel." Michael offers.

"Sne." Snesel says nodding as she readied herself and Angie takes out a pokeball.

"One on one. Sneasel will fight any pokemon you choose using her own judgement while we set up everything." Michael says.

Angie chuckles. "All right. Then Shinx. Time for your spotlight to shine." She says throwing the ball and shinx purrs as it shakes itself before getting into a stance.

'Oh, this should be good.' Sneasel thinks.

"This will be fun." Shinx says grinning.

Jack yawns as he watches the battle a bit, seeing Shinx get his flank beaten around by Snesel. Jack shakes his head as he gets and stretches before walking off into the nearby forest. "Don't let me get caught by Pyroar."

"Where are you going?" A sudden voice calls as something lands on his head.

Jack grunts as he reaches up and feels around before sighing. "Hey Kabuto. Going for a walk. Kinda need it."

"You shouldn't walk off. You could fall off a cliff." Kabuto says.

Jack tools his eyes. "Please. I'm not that dumb."

"Three, two, one." Kabuto says jumping off before a short yell is heard.

"Ow…" Jack groans as he picks his head up and sees that he is on a sharp cliff and only a small ledge saved him. "Wow."

"You were saying?" Kabuto asks.

Jack groans as he sits up and then leans back against the cliff. "At least this place isn't half bad."

"Get back up here before I get Sneasel." Kabuto says.

Jack looks up to her looking down at him from a cliff. "Why not enjoy some things before moving on? Just sit here and watch the scenery?"

"Sneasel!" Kabuto calls, starting to head back.

"Dammit." Jack curses as he climbs back up. "Don't bother. I'm coming back…guess I don't really have that much on friends." He says to himself as he gets back up.

"Is someone acting like a spoiled brat again?" Sneasel asks walking up.

Jack frowns as he gets up and dusts himself off. "Please. I just wanted to go for a walk and enjoy the sights."

Sneasel didn't look impressed, letting Jack know that the way he was acting would lead to another spanking.

Jack scoffs as he walks past her. "Just wanted to enjoy something after so long." He mutters to himself.

"When will you grow up?" Sneasel says, shaking her head.

"When will you realize I'm not as young as you think I am?" Jack shot back frowning, getting tired of them thinking he's just a know nothing baby.

"Then act like it." Sneasel says tripping him up.

Jack groans as he rubs his face. "Because this is actually how I act when I was a human. No one minded one single bit. Not even professors at my school. Just wanted my damn grades."

"Do I look like I don't care?" Sneasel asks making him wince again.

Jack huffs. "Of course you don't. You don't even care much about me at all. I don't know why I try with you. I thought you might be talkable, but you don't even care one bit. Feels like I'm alone in this world again."

Sneasel growls and the next thing Jack knew, he was being spanked.

Jack winces with each hit. "Like…I…said…don't….care." He says frowning.

"You are going to be in a time out till I say otherwise. You lazy spoiled brat who only cares about himself." Sneasel says.

Jack huffs as he stays there and takes the spanking till she stops and puts him down, Jack wincing as he takes small steps. 'Only because it feels like the world is against me. Wonder if they care different if I was a lucario?'

Sneasel walks away mad as Kabuto looks at him after she crawled onto his head. "Your attitude stinks. You think too much of yourself and think you world revolves around you and want to be looked up to. Here is a tip, earn it." Kabuto says, poking him in the head.

Jack looks up to her. "I did…many times. They just left me alone even if I did try as a human. I learned at that point that it doesn't matter unless you earn so much money or you get a damn certificate or trophy on a wall. No one cares about the small things. Only big ones that change your family or world."

"Is that you or your ego talking?" Kabuto asks, jumping off and crawls away.

Jack watches her leave as he stays there for a bit. "Being human changes you." He says to himself as he then follows. 'Maybe I should just shut up and don't even try to speak to them and just follow. Maybe they would just look and consider me.'

* * *

"That should be everything." Michael says finishing the tents as Gardenia returned with the water.

"Great. Now what's for dinner?" Dawn asks hopefully.

"Need to build a fire first. You can lay down in the tent while I go gather up the wood." Michael offers.

Dawn cheers as she rushes into her tent and zips it up.

"Dawn is quite a card." Michael says heading into the forest.

Zoey chuckles. "Yeah and she was a handful."

"Wait up. I want to forage to." Angie calls as she rushes after Michael.

"Alright." Michael says slowing for her.

Angie smiles as she catches up. "So…I didn't beat you, but then again, you were almost a champion over in your region."

"Almost?" Michael asks.

Angie sighs and rolls her eyes. "You are."

"No. I was a champion. I defeated all my region's elite four and beat the former champion." Michael corrects.

Angie smiles. "Still part champion."

"The undefeated champion. I never lost a battle after becoming champion. I only stopped being one when I handed it back to the last one." Michael informs, collecting wood.

Angie hums as she helps him collect. "Does it get boring after a while of just winning?"

"No one new really challenged me. Remember, my region had a closed border policy for a while" Michael reminds.

Angie nods a bit. "Yeah. I know. But it had to be boring for you. It was, wasn't it?"

"Yeah. You see, one of my greatest strengths is I can memorize someone's style and come up with counters easily. So facing the same opponents constantly, even if they do improve or come up with new strategies, I break them down very quickly and come up with counters and add them to my mind's databank." Michael says tapping his head.

Agnie raises an eyebrow. "So once you face someone once, it won't matter at that point and you can beat them at any time?"

"No, not quite. I can learn their strategies and tactics, but if my pokemon are unprepared beforehand I may not be able to win." Michael explains.

"Better…so I have to catch them surprise and when they are tired." Angie says smirking.

"Yes, but that is hard to do as I train my pokemon in different tactics and how to judge for themselves what actions are needed." Michael continues.

Angie sighs. "So no chance with you ever, huh?"

"The secret to battling a opponent like me is upsetting my rhythm." Michael informs.

Agnie nods. "So no chance huh?"

"Are you only listening half the time?" Michael asks.

"I mean there is no chance by how you are building it up to be." Angie says sighing.

"Listen. The best way to defeat someone like me is to use their strategy against them or throwing them off their game. People like me also have a habit of over analysing things." Michael says.

Angie hums as she looks him over at that point.

"Make me think you have something up your sleeve or are leading me along and I will hesitate to make moves. That is how you win." Michael informs.

Angie smiles. "You are telling me how to beat you. You really want to lose to someone someday, huh?"

"Meh. I don't really care if I win or lose. I want a challenge." Michael says.

"Yeah…you may have lost some spirit once you became champion." Angie concludes as she walks ahead.

"Yeah, I won't deny that happened. After a while, after I memorized all my regular challengers." Michael admits.

"Then maybe I can throw you off…maybe." Angie says as an afterthought as she has to think of something.

"You going to help or go after that fighting type not far away?" Michael asks.

"Huh?" Angie asks as she looks up and sees a machop walking a bit ahead. "Whoa."

"You up for it?" Michael asks.

"Yeah. I'll take this." Angie says dropping the sticks and takes out a pokeball before throwing it. "Come on out hoothoot." She says as the owl type comes out and hoots.

"Machops are weak to flying type moves." Michael advises.

Angie smiles. "Alright hoothoot. Let's take the moves to the sky and give an aerial ace." She says and hoothoot flies up higher and higher before aiming and flying downward towards machop with streaks of white energy starting at its beak and flowing around its body.

'When did you teach him that?' Michael thinks.

Machop tries to run and move out of the way, but the aerial ace hits him square in the back and sends him sliding to the ground. "Alright! Now try to peck him out. Let's not let him have a chance to counter." Hoothoot hoots and acknowledges this and keeps pecking at the machop.

Machop tried getting Hoothoot away by flailing his arms desperately.

Angie chuckles. "Alright. Back up and use aerial ace again." She calls and hoothoot hoos and flaps away as machop tries to prepare for it as hoothoot hoos as he flies toward machop, the same energy forming around him again before slamming into machop, weakening him more.

"Pokeball time." Michael informs.

Angie grins and takes out an empty pokeball. "Alright. Let's see if this works." She says tossing it and hits machop, before sucking him in and it lands on the ground, already shaking and glowing.

Michael doesn't pay attention as he collected the wood, finishing with a large one before starting to head back.

Angie smiles as the ball stops shaking and it beeps. "Got it." She calls and looks to see Michael gone already. "Oh." She says before walking to the pokeball and picks it up. "Least I got you."

"You coming back with me?" Michael call from the other way.

Angie turns around and sees Michael. "Oh. Yeah. Coming." She says rushing over.

* * *

"So you caught a new pokemon, huh?" Gardenia asks as Eruption lit the fire.

Angie smiles as she holds up the pokeball. "Yeah. A machop."

"Oh, adding a fighting type to your pokemon, huh?" Zoey asks.

Angie nods. "Why not? Would be fun."

"She is also training her Hoothoot well so far." Michael adds.

Angie looks proud at that. "Yeah. Really been working when we have off time."

"Well then, we should heal him up soon. Have him come out." Gardenia says, digging into her bag and tries to find the medkit.

"So how do you train a fighting type?" Angie inquires.

They all turn to Michael who was trying to cook some food before he realizes he's being watched and looks up to them. "What?"

"How many fighting types do you have?" Zoey asks.

"Well I have a Mankey, Lucario, Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, and Machoke on my team. So five. Why?" Michael asks looking to them again.

"Because we need to know how to train a fighting type." Gardenia says as Agnie lets out the injured machop who groans as he materializes on the ground before them.

"My approach is more hands on than most would attempt." Michael says.

"And that would be?" Angie asks, helping Gardenia patch up machop.

"I spar with my fighting types." Michael informs.

Angie blinks and looks to machop who is looking at her curiously. "Really? That's it?"

"I have the old bruises to prove it." Michael informs.

Angie stutters a bit. "So…what else did you train like?"

"It's easier to show than tell as I don't know how to explain it." Michael informs.

"I mean what other ways do you train them?" Angie asks, remembering how he trained his pokemon and some of theirs.

"Lifting weights, making them practice the same moves over and over again." Michaels says.

"I can do that." Angie says smiling. "Though out here…I guess rocks works."

"Let him rest for now." Michael says stirring the pot.

Angie smiles to machop who is looking tired and leans back in his spot to a tree stump.

"Gogoat." Michael calls for the grass type to come over.

Gogoat huffs as it walks over and snorts at them.

"Here." Michael says feeding him some fruit.

Gogoat smiles and bites into it happily.

"Good job today." Michael says petting the grass type before tossing two apples to the girls for the Ponytas.

Zoey smiles as she holds it up and her Ponyta bites it and takes it while chewing it.

Gardenia smiles and walks up to Michael's ponyta and feeds him as well.

Angie sighs. "So…when do we start?"

"Give him a day to rest and get used to being your pokemon." Michael advises as Pyroar stretches as Eruptions starts to wake up from a nap.

Angie nods. "I'll see about that and make sure."

"Hey Eruptions, you sleep well?" Michael asks picking her up.

"Char." Eruptions says smiling.

"Dinner will be ready soon." Michael says laying her in his lap and pets her head.

"Char." Eruptions says happily as she leans into the petting.

Michael smiles as Eruptions was happy and relaxed. Pyroar, seeing this, starts looking around till she found Jack and, to his displeasure, was given a bath.

"I am really getting annoyed." Jack mutters to himself as he tries to endure it.

Pyroar then nuzzles him affectionately, making Jack happy even if he wouldn't admit it. Jack nuzzles back a little, just wanting to relax at this point.

"There is a good cub." Pyroar says, wrapping Jack in her heat comfortably.

Jack hums as he starts to relax at last. 'This can beat making a drawing in the dirt by a mile.'

'Finally, he isn't acting like a spoiled brat.' Sneasel thinks as Kabuto crawls past them and starts climbing up Dawn.

Dawn eeps as she freezes as Kabuto kept climbing. "Um…Michael?"

"Yes?" Michael asks before taste testing the food.

"Something is crawling on me." Dawn squeaks quickly.

Michael looked over to see Kabuto climbing up her. "It's Kabuto."

"Get it off of me." Dawn keeps squeaking.

"Don't worry. She is just wants to get on your head." Michael says as Kabuto reaches the top of her head and looks down at her.

"Um…hi…" Dawn tries to say looking up to Kabuto as she holds still, causing Kabuto to chitter happily at her. "Help…"

"Come here Kabuto." Zoey says getting her off Dawn.

Kabuto chitters as she lets herself be carried off.

"Better?" Michael asks getting the pot off the fire.

Dawn sighs in relief. "Yeah. Way better."

"What is up Dawn? You aren't usually affected by this." Zoey says.

Dawn sighs. "Been a little on edge and this one crawling on me doesn't help." She says pointing to Kabuto.

"Tell us about it." Zoey says sitting down as Michael starts to get the bowls.

Dawn shrugs. "There isn't much to tell really. Besides, it's nothing I can't handle."

Michael said nothing before he hits the ladle against the pot, getting everyone's attention. "Food time."

"Good. I'm starving." Dawn says happily as she goes over to grab a bowl.

"Everyone come get some." Michael says feeding Eruptions a piece of bread.

Eruption bites into the bread happily and starts to chew on it as everyone else got their bowl.

"Come on. Let everyone out." Michael says referring to all the pokemon still in pokeballs.

Zoey smirked as she takes hers out. "Good. Could do everyone some good." She says tossing them all up and everyone came out and had their own cries as Dawn, Gardenia, and Angie did the same.

"Alright. No pushing or shoving. Plenty for everyone." Michael says to the pokemon who started to come up to him.

Zoey chuckles as they all got different bowls. "You are prepared."

"I believe in always being so." Michael says as everyone got their food and started eating. Even Jack.

Jack hums as he sits off to the side and tilts his head a bit at the soup. "At least it's close." He says remembering what he had during his human life before taking the spoon and trying a bit. "Could use lemon."

After eating, Michael rummaged through his pack before bringing out a flat beach ball and start blowing air into it. "Alright everyone." Michael says tossing the ball into the crowd.

The pokemon all cheer as they put their bowls into one place and starts tossing it around as the trainers all watched happily.

"I always bring a ball like that in case my pokemon need something to play with and it can also be used in training." Michael says.

Zoey raises an eyebrow to him smirking. "You sure this isn't training?"

"No. This is them having fun." Michael says.

"Uh huh. Right. Because you did say this is for training so who's to say you aren't training them constantly?" Zoey asks and Michael looks to her at that point. "Because the outside view of a champion is that you train pokemon so much, there is no room for fun."

"Who says that?" Michael asks as Eruption comes back to lay in his lap.

"Everyone." All the girls say. "Except the elite four. Some of the gym leaders are like this." Gardenia says smiling.

"Well I am not. Me and my pokemon train hard, but too much isn't a good thing. Sometimes you just need to take it easy." Michael says petting Eruptions.

"Good…because I would have left you if you said yes." Zoey says looking back to the pokemon still playing.

"You seem laid back for a champion." Gardenia says.

"Truth be told, that is how I like it. I get competitive when I am motivated, but training hard and relaxing come naturally to me." Michael informs.

"That is so polar opposite." Zoey says sighing.

"He is a contradiction." Gardenia says.

Michael smiles at that. "Hope that is a good thing to your girls." He says as the ball flies off and knocks Jack on the head.

Jack groans as he rubs his head and puts his bowl down and looks to them. "Seriously? I thought you guys had some aim." He says picking up the ball and throwing it back.

"Look, even Riolu is getting in on play time." Angie says.

"And sitting back down. We really have to find a way to get him in on some of things we do." Dawn says a bit worried as Jack turns back to his bowl and sits down.

"Give him time. He will eventually interact with the rest more." Michael says as Eruptions was now asleep.

"Wonder when that will be?" Zoey asks out loud.

"Depends on his ego." Michael says as he picks up the sleeping fire type.

"Bed time for everyone?" Zoey asks looking to him.

"I'm going to stay up a bit longer, but it is about time to start heading that way." Michael says.

"And some of the stubborn headed ones of our pokemon are going to follow and play as much as possible." Gardenia says chuckling.


	16. No Talking

Later that night, Michael was sitting alone, looking up at the starry sky.

"Hey." Dawn says quietly as she walks up to him. "How are you doing?"

"Good. How about you?" Michael asks.

Dawn smiles as she sits down next to him. "Fine…the others are still asleep. You have been out for…" She checks her pokedex. "An hour already. Not sleepy yet?"

"No. It's just I like looking at the sky on a clear night like this. Where no lights hide them from view." Michael says.

Dawn smiles a bit at that. "You do like relaxation more…you want to know the problem I have?"

"Sure, if you are willing to talk about it." Michael says,

Dawn sighs and looks down. "You ever had that tingling feeling of something coming at you and it would still take days?"

"You mean anxiety?" Michael asks.

Dawn nods a bit. "Yeah…something like that…something like it. I have been getting a lot lately and have been on edge because of it."

"You feel like telling me about it?" Michael asks.

Dawn sighs. "It's…first. How do you feel about your father?"

"My father?" Michael asks surprised.

Dawn nods and watches him. "How do you feel about your dad?"

"That is a good question." Michael says leaning back onto the grass, thinking.

Dawn still watches him as she sits. "You don't have to say it if you don't want to."

"No, it's just how to feel about someone I don't even know personally." Michael says.

Dawn was surprised. "Oh…I see."

"I'm not sure if he is even alive or dead. You see, me and mom have been traveling as long as I could remember. So I never had a hometown or a permanent home and I never even got to meet dad and all I know is what mom has told me and that he was a pokemon ranger." Michael explains.

Dawn slowly nods. "I see…so you don't know much either."

"No I don't. I am not even sure how to feel about him." Michael says.

Dawn looks down. "Yeah…same here."

"So it's your father that has you so anxious?" Michael asks.

Dawn sighs as she takes out her pokedex and shows her missed calls, all from the same number. "I don't know what to feel at this point."

"I can't tell you how to live your life, but you have a chance to talk to your father. Some never get that chance." Michael says.

Dawn puts her pokedex away. "Yeah. I just wish that…I can live a different life and be like…well…something like the one that the Riolu has."

"The circumstances of ones birth is irrelevant. It is what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are." Michael informs.

Dawn sighs. "I just wish I can try like…well…be carefree like what the little guy is doing right now…wait? What?" She asks herself, looking a bit ahead to see Jack walking out of the forest and seems to be looking around for something.

"Let Pyroar take care of him." Michael says.

Dawn hums as Jack grabs a stick and breaks it before starting to draw in the dirt ground. Something big as he draws a big square. "He's drawing. Maybe he wants to be away for a bit."

"If we let him, he would end up just being caught by another trainer." Michael reminds.

"Why don't you catch him then?" Dawn asks curiously.

"He is better off not as one of mine for now." Michael says sitting back up.

"For now?" Dawn asks as Jack starts to make shapes and lines in the square.

"Yeah. He is still a baby and very immature. When he grows up a bit, he may pick who will be his trainer." Michael says.

"Really? Giving him the choice? You sure he won't just run off?" Dawn asks worried.

"He has nowhere to go and he knows it. Besides, he doesn't know how to forage for himself." Michael says.

"That's almost dangerous. Did you ever find sign of his family or anything?" Dawn asks as the shapes and lines start to take shape into something.

"No. We haven't." Michael says as Pyroar came up to Jack before picking him up by the scruff of his neck and takes him back to the sleep area before Jack quickly takes out his phone and snaps a picture of what he made as he lets himself be carried off.

"Maybe you should keep trying." Dawn suggested as she looks to what Jack has made and admits that it looks good for someone his age to make.

"What about you? What are you going to do?" Michael asks.

Dawn looks to where her pokedex is. "I…I need time to think."

"Take all the time you need." Michael says heading for his tent.

Dawn nods as she watches him leave.

* * *

The group traveled along route 210 through the mountainous path for several more days before coming to a waterfall area to their pleasant surprise.

"Can we make camp?" Zoey asks smirking to Michael.

"I don't see why not." Michael says patting the side of Gogoat's neck.

Zoey laughs as she gets off of Ponyta and throws up all her pokeballs to let everyone out as the others do the same while heading for the lake below the waterfall.

"And you're stuck doing the camp." Dawn says smiling to him as she grabs her bag from Gogoat's back.

"Who brought a bathing suit?" Zoey asks.

Both Angie and Gardenia grin at that as they grab their bags and heads off somewhere private.

Michael shakes his head as he grabs the camping equipment. "Don't you have something to wear?" Zoey asks as Dawn grabs her own bags and walks off.

"No. Not really." Michael informs.

Zoey sighs. "We may have to get you one at least. Always have at least one bathing suit."

Michael starts whistling nervously.

Zoey smirks. "What's wrong? Are you a girl under all that boyish looks?"

"Ok. That is ridiculous." Michael says.

Zoey raises an eyebrow. "So how do you swim in?"

Michael says nothing as he kept blushing as he got the tent set up.

Zoey kept watching him before smiling. "Underwear. Isn't it?"

Michael froze in place, confirming her suspicion.

Zoey chuckles a bit. "Wow. Well…at least you swimmed somehow."

"Please don't bring that up." Michael requests.

Zoey leans down to him. "I won't. But next time we are in town, you are getting a swimsuit. Got it?"

"Yes ma'am." Michael says embarrassed, getting back to work.

Zoey pats his back before grabbing her bag and walks off to get changed.

"Sneasel." Sneasel says helping.

Michael sighs and looks to her. "Sometimes I feel like you are the only girl that understands me the most."

"Snea." Sneasel says patting him.

* * *

Jack sighs leans against a tree trunk, watching everyone play around as he looks to his phone and the picture he took a few days ago of what he made of the cliffside sea drawing. A sudden water splash woke him up from his daydream and made him sputter and look to the offender. "Come on little pup." Pyroar says smiling as she paddles around.

Jack sighs as he wipes the water off of his phone. "Nah. Fine here. Besides, I don't do much swimming. And if you say I don't know how to swim, you're dead wrong." Jack says rolling his eyes as he keeps messing with his phone.

"Oh? Why not prove me wrong?" Pyroar asks.

Jack shakes his head. "Cause I don't want to have this wet." He says holding up his phone.

"Then don't take it with you." Pyroar says patting his head.

Jack pushes her paw off his head. "Why bring me into this?"

"You need to spend more time with everyone." Pyroar says taking the phone away and makes him go to the water.

Jack grumbles to himself before, "Hey!" He yells out as Pyroar pushes him into the water before he comes out of the water and spits out the water and glares at her as he stays afloat. "Not cool."

"Now have some fun." Pyroar says.

Jack scoffs as Pyroar jumps in beside him and paddles around him.

"Oh, that is cute." Gardenia says swimming up in a black one piece swimsuit.

Jack rolls his eyes at being called cute before looking at Gardenia shocked as he sees her wearing a black one piece swimsuit swimming nearby and then sees Angie and Dawn sitting on the edge of the lake and notices that they were wearing a two piece swimsuit that almost looks the same, except that Dawn was wearing a orange and yellow swimsuit and Angie is wearing a green and blue one. 'Holy…you have to be kid…wait. I still notice like that. I still have my human side in my head.' Jack thinks happily and tries not to show it.

"Where is Zoey?" Dawn asks looking around.

Angie hums as she looks as well. "Must still be getting into hers."

"Looks like Michael isn't going to join us." Dawn says.

Angie nods. "Yeah. He doesn't seem like he is that prepared for leisure life of his own. Maybe he doesn't know how to swim…no. He would have to for his own pokemon to learn."

"It's a small secret and I'm not telling." Zoey says walking past and into the water and they look to her see wearing a black two piece swimsuit of just a bra and underwear.

"What do you mean?" Angie asks.

"No swimsuit." Zoey informs.

"Seriously? That's it? Why didn't he get one when he went on his travels?" Angie asks confused.

Zoey smirked as Dawn soon joined her. "In his underwear?"

"Oh yeah. Only thing he got for a swimsuit." Zoey says as Angie follows them.

"Oh, can I tease him on this?" Dawn asks.

Zoey hums. "No. He kinda has enough for today. So maybe tomorrow." She says smirking at the end.

"He is cooking for us." Angie adds.

They look to see him stirring over a pot of something on a campfire. "Yeah. Let's tease him tomorrow on that." Dawn says before smirking as she thinks of some ways to tease him.

"Isn't the whole 'You can watch, but can't touch' thing apart of that?" Angie asks.

"I think it might be." Zoey says still smirking.

"We are going to have fun, aren't we?" Angie asks chuckling.

"Oh yeah. Now we just need to come up with so many ways to have fun." Dawn says giggling and they all smirk to Michael who felt a chill run down his spine.

'Why do I feel like I am not going to like my future?' Michael asks himself.

The rest of the day the girls played in the water with the pokemon and, at times, purposely were acting sexy in his view. 'How am I going to survive Zoey's leading embarrassment against me?' Michael asks himself blushing, having caught sight of Zoey again just a few seconds before and tries to stare down into the pot, even to the point of almost burying his face from the steam.

"Ok girls. We had enough fun before eating?" Gardenia asks.

Zoey chuckles. "Yeah. We should eat before we all starve."

"Come on." Zoey says going to get out as they pass Jack who was playing like a little kid and was enjoying it in the water.

"Wait up." Dawn says as her, Angie, and Gardenia gets out as well and follows to where Michael is still cooking a little and sits down behind him.

"So how are you?" Zoey asks.

Michael gulps as he tries to not look behind him and keeps cooking. "Fine."

Zory smiles as she leans onto him.

Michael eeps as he stops as he feels the wet girl still in her swimsuit leaning against him. "Um…you're going to ruin my clothes." He tries as he stays still.

"They would just have to dry." Zoey says petting him.

"I would rather not waste time." Michael says quickly.

"Good thing I am not." Zoey says moving him away from the pot for the others to get to it.

"Um…Zoey?" Michael asks, trying not to look and closes his eyes.

"Shh. Just relax." Zoey says holding him.

"Not helping with you still holding me like this." Michael says, still with his eyes closed.

"Oh relax. I am your girlfriend." Zoey reminds smiling.

Michael gulps nervously as he couldn't say anything to that.

"Now relax. As I need to take care of you." Zoey says holding him close.

"Ta…take care?" Michael asks nervously.

"Yeah. Now just let me hold you." Zoey instructs.

Michael slowly nods as he tries to sit still, but kept his eyes closed all the while.

"Open your eyes." Zoey instructs, stroking his cheek.

"Ar…are you sure?" Michael asks, trying not move at all.

"Yes." Zoey says.

Michael slowly opens his eyes and blushes heavily as he sees Zoey still wet and in her black swimsuit. "Um…don't you want to wear something…else?" He asks, trying to keep looking at her face and not stare down but kept giving small glances.

"Oh just relax. If I didn't want you to see I wouldn't have told you to look." Zoey says.

"Good to know." Michael says, still trying to keep his gaze up.

"Now relax. You are still stiff." Zoey says holding him tightly.

"I'm not use to this." He says sharply before blinking and looking away. "Sorry."

"Don't apologize." Zoey instructs.

"Sorry." Michael says before stopping. "Sorryah!" Michael yells out in frustration before looking down completely.

"Michael, look at me." Zoey instructs.

Michael sighs and looks to her now. "I'm bad at this, aren't I?"

"I'm going to train you." Zoey says smirking.

* * *

"Ok Machop, keep lifting." Angie instructs.

"Ma." Machop says as he kept lifting the rock.

"He going well?" Dawn asks walking up.

Angie nods. "Yeah. He's actually doing great. Hasn't broken a sweat yet though."

"Have either of you seen Michael and Zoey?" Gardenia asks, wearing her small green cloak over her swimsuit now.

Both Dawn and Angie looks to her a bit confused. "No. After she took him away, they never came back from wherever they went." Dawn says.

"I see." Gardenia says looking to machop.

Angie sighs and looks to see machop lifting the rock too easily. "Get a bigger and heavier rock and do the same."

"Wish Michael was here to give advice?" Gardenia asks.

"Yes." Angie admits.

"Well, you are doing the best you can." Gardenia offers smiling.

* * *

"Ah, it is a good morning." Dawn says emerging from her tent in her sleepwear.

Angie yawns as she sticks her head out of her tent with her hair sticking out all over the place. "Is breakfast ready?" She asks sleepily.

"No Angie. It is not." Gardenia says walking by in her sleepwear of a loose cotton pants and blouse.

"Okay. Wake me up when it is." Angie says going back into her tent and zips it up.

"Come on Zoey. Let's get your boyfriend u…she isn't in her tent." Dawn says looking into her tent.

"Okay. Where did they go?" Gardenia asks, starting to walk around to look.

Dawn looked around before looking into Michael's tent and finds them sleeping with Michael in Zoey's arms.

"Hey. You find them y…?" Gardenia stops as she looks to where Dawn is looking and smiles. "That was fast."

"Still clothed." Dawn informs.

Gardenia rolls her eyes as they watch the two sleepwear clothed trainers still asleep. "Should we leave them alone?"

"We can try cooking. Besides, do you want to disturb and take away the top coordinator's stuffed pokemon?" Dawn asks.

Gardenia chuckles. "Nah. Let's go. I got something good to make." She says moving to the campfire with Dawn.

"Where is Michael?" Angie asks still sleepy.

"In his tent with Zoey." Dawn says smiling.

"Oh?" Angie asks.

* * *

Michael moans as he slowly opens his eyes and sees a cotton shirt in front of him before slowly looking up to see Zoey sleeping away. His sleepy mind shrugged it off and wrapped his arms around her like she was his stuffed animal as she held him at her chest.

"Michael…" Zoey says in her sleep as she squeezes him tighter.

"Yes?" Michael asks, not wanting to move.

"St…" Zoey tries to say before falling back to sleep.

"Zoey." Michael says falling back to sleep as well.

Zoey yawns as she awakens ten minutes later and looks down smiling as Michael rests his head against her chest. "Yeah. Still cute." Zoey says as she let go, letting him come off her chest.

Michael moans as he turns over and pulls the blankets up around himself.

Zoey smiles and runs her hand through his hair.

Michael moans and keeps trying to sleep before snorting awake. "Zoey…?"

"Rest up." Zoey instructs.

Michael could only follow and closes his eyes again to fall asleep.

Zoey smiles and keeps petting his head before sitting up and heads out after giving him a glance before heading out to see the others already up and making food.

"Sleep well?" Dawn asks smirking.

Zoey chuckles. "I got better sleep than you ever will."

"I doubt that." Dawn says.

Zoey sighs and walks over before sitting down with them. "So what did I miss?"

"We just started to cook." Gardenia says.

Zoey smiles. "I mean anything from last night."

"Nothing." Dawn informs.

Zoey hums. "Really? Nothing special? Not even you?"

"Well Angie was training Machop." Dawn informs.

Zoey raises an eyebrow. "Well how did that go?"

"Started strength training by lifting small rocks." Angie admits.

"Well it's a start." Zoey says shrugging as she tries to peek to what they are cooking.

"When Michael gets up we are going to ask him to help." Gardenia says.

"We may have to. I have no idea." Zoey admits.

"So how is the sleepyhead?" Gardenia asks.

Zoey smiles. "Tired. Too much for him to go through last night. He is really not use to dating."

"Oh so cute. I guess this is all lies." Gardenia says bringing out an old magazine.

Zoey rolls her eyes. "Well…at least we are able to really get moving."

"So he has no clue about dating?" Dawn asks getting the magazine.

"None at all. He keeps stuttering and everything." Zoey explains as Dawn looks over one.

"You know her?" Angie asks looking at the magazine.

"I think I have seen her on tv. I think she is a musician." Dawn says.

Zoey hums as she looks as well. "I think she is a rock star or something."

"Food is ready you three." Gardenia informs.

"Alright. Here Gardenia, do you know who this is?" Zoey asks, holding up the covers.

"I think I seen her once at the conference for gym leaders last year." Gardenia says.

Zoey hums. "So is she good?" Zoey asks as she flips through the magazine.

"I don't know. Also shouldn't you get your bf?" Gardenia asks.

"I'm going to let him sleep. It's been a while since he had a complete sleep." Zoey says smiling as she reads on an article about Michael and the girl on the magazine.


	17. Working Things Out

"So it has been a few days and we are still seeing the river." Michael says as he and Dawn were still riding on Gogoat.

"That's a good sign, isn't it?" Dawn asks as she hanged onto him.

"I'm surprised." Michael says as they cross a bridge.

"About?" Dawn asks curiously.

"We haven't passed it." Michael says as they stopped.

"Well…is it that bad?" Dawn asks looking to the river.

"No." Michael says getting off.

Dawn gets off as well as the others catch up. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I am just wanting to admire the view." Michael says looking at the river.

Dawn smiles and walks off to the others. "All yours." She says to Zoey smirking.

Michael smile as he gets out a fishing rod out and one of the chairs.

Zoey chuckles as she walks over and helps him carry the chair. "Really? Fishing?"

"Yes." Michael says setting up.

Zoey smiles. "You are something. Now only if you sew and all the things boys usually don't do."

Michael hums happily as he sat down and casted his line into the water.

Zoey smiles and sits by him as the others just sit off to the side and watches them as they relax. "Cute."

"So you think he will catch anything?" Dawn asks.

"With him…kinda." Angie says sighing in relief as she leans against a tree.

"It's a good time to take a break anyways." Dawn says.

Gardenia hums and looks to her. "So what do we have for lunch?"

"Lets see. Oh, we got some sandwich meat." Zoey says.

"I'll take some." Angie says raising a hand.

A half hour passed as the girls ate as Michael waited patiently for a bite with Kabuto on his head.

Kabuto chitters and taps his head as she watches the water.

"I know. You also will be battling whatever I catch." Michael says petting her.

Kabuto chittered happily and rests for now as she grips his head.

"Oh." Michael says as he sees the bobber move.

Kabuto quickly wakes up and jumps off of him, ready for anything.

"We got a taker!" Michael calls reeling it in as the bobber went down and something started to fight him on the other side.

Everyone immediately went on alert as they watch him try to reel in the bite. "Need help?" Zoey asks.

"I got this and here you are." Michael calls before a Barboach was brought to the surface.

Kabuto chitters and gets ready as Barboach was placed on the ground.

"Kabuto, let's open up with absorb." Michael instructs.

Kabuto chitters and fires red beams from it's pincers at Barboach and it starts to glow before it flows back to Kabuto. Barboach didn't seemed to like it very much and proceeded to fire a water gun at them, blasting the campfire and the food.

"Hey! We were making that!" Dawn and Gardenia yells as Kabuto seems to help translate.

"Kabuto, Scald!" Michael calls, causing Kabuto to shoot out boiling hot water at the Barboach.

Barboach flaps around in pain as it tries to get away from the hot water.

"Finish it. Rock smash." Michael orders.

Kabuto chitters loudly as her body becomes outlined in yellow, floats into the air and and then slams into the Barboach. "Good job." Michael says throwing a pokeball.

They watch as the pokeball files and hits the Barboach before it was sucked into it and it beeps. "Not bad." Zoey says smiling.

They watch as the pokeball disappear as the Barboach was caught.

"Good job Kabuto." Michael says as she hops up and down.

Kabuto chitters and keeps hopping around him.

"You did very well. We didn't even get a chance to try aqua jet." Michael says picking her up.

Kabuto just chitters and moves her claws.

Michael then sets her on his head and heads over to where the food was to see the damage.

Gardenia sighs as she looks into the pot before throwing it to the side. "Well…that's a bust."

"So what happened?" Michael asks.

"Ah." Dawn says looking through her bag. "Water gun kinda ruined our food here. Hard to actually find a good one."

"I guess we could forage a bit." Michael says scratching his head.

"I'll do it." Zoey says stretching a bit.

"I'm glad we keep food between all of us." Michael says.

"Yeah. Because yours got hit." Dawn says, looking to the bags laid around.

"Anyone else want to try and fish?" Michael offers.

"Not after that." Gardenia says, trying to see what she can salvage.

Michael shrugs helping.

Zoey walks away to find something to forage as Angie starts to collect and throw the ruined food away. "So…how much have lost?"

"Not too much. My bag was mostly used up through." Michael says.

"Well, we better fill up when we get to the next town." Angie says shaking her head.

"Let's see." Michael says looking at his pokedex and looks for the nearest settlement.

"Find anything?" Gardenia asks, trying to make something from the small campfire now.

"There is a settlement at the end of the mountain part and then we will be halfway through route 210." Michael says.

"Oh goody. This is a long route." Angie says looking to him after throwing away all the busted food.

"At least it isn't underground." Michael says.

"Why? Had that problem?" Gardenia asks curiously as she was able to get the fire started again.

"Let's not get into it." Michael requests as Kabuto cringes.

"Okay then." Gardenia says thoroughly confused.

"Now what can we do?" Michael asks thinking.

Angie shrugs. "What do you want to do? Relax and just wait until the food's ready?"

"What about your machop?" Michael asks.

Angie hums. "Guess we can work on that…maybe after the food's ready. I'm hungry and I bet everyone else is too."

"I meant what have you been training him?" Michael asks.

Angie tries to smile a bit. "Lifting weights, rocks mostly. Some strength training by hanging in one place, running around…and that's it. That all I can think of for his training. Got anymore ideas I can try?"

"With the rocks around here…they are either too light or heavy to make progress." Michael says thinking aloud.

"So what can we do without rocks?" Angie asks, taking out machop's pokeball.

"There is a better way. Have him practice the same move over and over again." Michael says confusing all of them.

"Why…?" Angie asks confused.

"The more he practices the move, the faster he can execute it." Michael says.

"Oh. Better get started." Angie says walking away somewhere safe to practice a move.

As Zoey walked away, Jack popped his head out, having been listening intently.

'Again and again huh? Well it makes sense. But not just being faster, but more precise and have a rhythm that can work to your own style. Maybe…let's see. Riolus can use aura sphere I think or was that until they became a lucario? Wasn't there a episode…there was. They can use it. Aura sense I already got. Bone staff? Maybe start small bones. Combat…but I need something combat against and it won't always be the same way. Maybe I can try some old moves I could have done as human. Aura sphere first. Can't be a true lucario without it.' He thinks looking around before heading behind some bushes and a tree before taking a last look and sits down. 'And it's basically focusing energy…this might take a while. Gee. I'm like that ninja.' He thinks smiling before putting his hands together and tries to focus some aura.

* * *

"I am back." Zoey says, arms holding fruit.

Michael smiles. "Great. We were able to make some things with what we had planned. What do you have?"

"Bananas, berries, apples, and oranges." Zoey informed.

"I can make something of that." Michael says as she sits down near the fire and gives him the fruits.

"So…um…what is Angie and Machop doing?" Zoey asks watching them practice.

"Doing the same moves over and over again." Michael says, trying to pick out some of the fruits.

"Wh…to get faster with it right?" Zoey asks.

Michael nods. "Yeah. Since the rocks here are no good for training at all for machop right now. Some maybe, but he is not ready for that probably."

"So you going to help me with the fruit or just stand there?" Zoey asks impatiently.

Michael rolls his eyes. "Fine. Coming."

"What was that?" Zoey asks.

"Nothing." Michael says quickly to cover up how he just said that.

Zoey smiles. "That's better."

* * *

The group continued on till they reach the town that marked the halfway point of route 210 to most of their relief. "You did good Gogoat." Michael says patting his pokemon.

"Go." Gogoat says happily.

"You mind helping me down?" Dawn asks on Gogoat's back.

Michael smiles and helps her down by carrying her and then putting her down on her feet. "Better?"

"Thanks," Dawn says starting to get her bags off of Gogoat as the other do the same with the Ponytas they rode on.

Michael hums as he gets his bags. "No problem."

"So we heading to the pokemon center?" Angie asks.

"Of course we are. Have to settle in for the day." Michael says returning Gogoat back into his ball and leads them to the red building.

"Greetings." Nurse Joy greets as they enter the center.

Michael hums as they walk up. "Hello. Going to need at least four rooms." He says holding out his trainer card which has the chip for the money transaction.

"Certainly. I assume you are here for the Fighting Battles?" Nurse Joy asks as she takes his card and starts to rent out the rooms.

"Fighting Battles?" Angie asks confused.

Nurse Joy nods as she gives the card back before reaching under the desk and takes out a poster to show a competition of two fighting type Pokémon. "It's a fighting battle that is taking place nearby. Winner gets a large money prize and some berries from the area."

"Oh?" Angie asks, looking interested.

"Tell me, what are the usual competitors like?" Michael asks.

"Tough yes. But really good at striking the opponent. I don't have to tell you how many bruises I have had to deal with." Nurse Joy says chuckling.

"So would a freshly caught fighting type pokemon have a chance at it?" Dawn asks, knowing that look from her time traveling with Ash.

"Oh yes…if they fit a height and weight requirement. It's to place them in fair categories." Nurse Joy informs.

"Ah. So this is an official region competition. Not just a local thing." Michael says remembering similar regulations for competitions that were a part of an official league in Kalos.

"Yes. I guess you can say that." Nurse Joy says smiling and gives them four keys. "Here you go. Four rooms."

"Thank you." Zoey says taking them before leading to a table. "What do you think?" Zoey asks.

"Could be fun. Prizes are good with money and berries. Both we kinda need." Michael says to himself.

"Yeah, but only fighting type pokemon can compete in this." Dawn says looking it up on her pokedex.

Michael smiles and looks to Angie. "Well…we have one."

"What are the requirements?" Angie asks looking to Dawn.

"They must be at least three foot and sixty pounds." Dawn reads.

Angie hums as she checks her pokedex entry on her machop. "Let's see. Machop is…around two feet and is under the weight. Oh man."

"Does anyone have any fighting type pokemon?" Michael asks.

They all look to him at that.

"I have a Gallade, but he has been trained for contests then something like this and there is probably strongly trained fighting types for this." Zoey says.

"Anyone else?" Michael asks and they still watch him.

"Don't look at me. I don't have any fighting types." Dawn informs.

"I think we all know where a fighting can be chosen from." Zoey says watching Michael.

"I do have a Breloom but I left him at the gym to challenge trainers coming for the badge." Gardenia admits.

Zoey sighs. "Michael."

"I have a few. Lucario, Machoke, Hitmonchan, and a Hitmonlee." Michael explains.

"Looks like we got the Pokémon." Zoey says smiling.

"I get it. One moment. Gogoat going to trade you out for a bit." Michael says to his pokeball before heading for the terminal to trade while the girls continued to look up the competition.

"Well, we are lucky he is around." Zoey says smiling.

"According to this, last year's champion was an Infernape whose speed with mach punch was very difficult to deal with." Dawn says.

"It's that one of the moves that Michael's Lucario used with that two punch combo?" Angie asks.

"Might be. So he could be going for his Lucario with this one." Zoey says still reading through the list of competitors.

* * *

 **A/N: At this point, we realized we went a little too far and needed to redo. So we restarted on Muto Moves. But that didn't turn out too well…until we decided to split things up and made one in medieval times and another in modern times, each with their own style. One that we both would work together and another where I mostly did the work as it made quite different then what we are use to. So, enjoy what we have here and any future ones.**


End file.
